I Thessalonians 5:17 simply says, “Pray without ceasing.”  I don’t do this.  I want to, but I don’t.  Truth be told, it might be more accurate to say that I want to want to, but I don’t.  An old acquaintance of mine, Dr. Archie Parrish, has compiled a book on the subject that has convicted me time and again.  I use the word “compiled” intentionally as he has taken a letter that Martin Luther wrote to a friend entitled “A Simple Way to Pray” and has expanded it into a marvelous book of the same name.  In this book, Dr. Parrish includes the foll0wing words from Luther’s introduction:

“It is a good thing to let prayer be the first business of the morning and the last at night.  Guard yourself carefully against those false, deluding ideas that tell you, ‘Wait a little while.  I will pray in an hour; first I must attend to this or that.’  Such thoughts get you away from prayer into other affairs, which so hold your attention and involve you that nothing comes of prayer for that day….  There is a saying ascribed to St. Jerome that everything a believer does is prayer, and a proverb says, ‘Those who work faithfully pray twice.’…”

The Scriptures are clear.  We are commanded to pray – even without ceasing.  In context (considering the entire sentence), we are told to:  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (I Thes. 5:16-18)   We are also called in the Scriptures to pray together (Matt 18:20 – where two or more are gathered together…).

With these thoughts in mind, we are reconvening our Praying Pops group at Westminster Catawba Christian School.  We are looking for men from our community to join with us in praying together every Wednesday (that school is in session) from 6:45 a.m. – 7:15 a.m.  in the Upper School Chapel.  All are invited to join us as we seek to make prayer “the first business in the morning” and to do so with “two or more gathered together.”  It is a great time to share praises and requests, to lift each other up, and to pray – about everything!  I do hope that you will pass this word along to the men of WCCS (and Rock Hill) that we might join together in rejoicing/praying/thanking – fulfilling God’s will for us!

Ladies – we are looking to restart the Moms In Prayer groups after Christmas as well – so be on the lookout for more details about that opportunity to join the men in rejoicing/praying/thanking!