Some pretty “unique” people have set out to do some pretty unusual things without stopping:
- A man lectured about the Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali and Catalan culture for 124 hours without stopping.
- A United States Marine did 17,003 push-ups without stopping.
- A man in England did 3,750 pull-ups without stopping.
- A man in Sweden bounced a soccer ball on his head for 8 ½ hours without stopping.
- A long-distance runner ran for 350 miles without stopping.
- A Canadian musician performed a concert for 27 hours, 3 minutes without stopping.
- A 14-year-old Indian boy played his guitar for 53 hours and 4 minutes without stopping.
- Two friends sent 217,033 text messages without stopping.
- Someone dribbled a basketball for 24 hours without stopping.
- An American man hula-hooped for 74 hours, 54 minutes without stopping.
- A man from Ohio pumped his fist for 16 hours without stopping.
There are three things every Christian should do without stopping: We are to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, [and] in everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). But our main focus in this article will be perhaps the most challenging of the three—praying continually.
When it comes to rejoicing and giving thanks, we get the idea that it is possible to “cease” in between occasions of rejoicing and thanking. We rejoice and give thanks in every situation—but in between situations we can “cease.” (I’m not speaking theologically, but rather in terms of how we might read Paul’s language at first glance.)
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But “pray without ceasing” has a different ring to it. Paul says we should never cease praying. Ceaselessly means don’t cease; it means don’t stop praying. The Greeks had a clear way of saying these things. The Greek word adialeiptos (without ceasing) is the word for “ceasing” or “leaving” with a negative prefix (“a”) attached to it. The negative prefix means “No” or “Don’t.” So “don’t” plus “cease” sent a very clear message: Don’t stop praying.
If “pray without ceasing” literally means “don’t stop praying,” how are we to apply this in our lives? For many people, prayer is something to do before meals, when there is a crisis, in the last minutes of the day before sleep takes over or, on good days, when we manage to squeeze in a few devotional minutes in the morning. And definitely at church on Sunday. But even if we hit all those appointments, that hardly measures up to “pray without ceasing.”
Constant Contact
Do you know why there are so many religions in the world? Because human beings are hardwired to be in contact with their Creator. Are there religions in the animal kingdom? No. Only human beings, created in God’s image, have some sense that we are not alone in the universe, that we are not here accidentally, that there is a God who can hear our prayers.
The Buddhist religion, as practiced by Himalayan Tibetans, has an interesting perspective on this. They stretch out long cords which are attached innumerable prayer flags. The flags have religious symbols and prayers written on them and they flutter constantly in the mountain winds. The prayer flags are a way to “pray without ceasing”—sending prayers out into the wind, night and day. They also use prayer wheels, sort of like a child’s spinning top, that accomplish the same purpose. As the wheels spin, they represent repetitive prayers being spun out toward the heavens.
I certainly don’t suggest anything similar when it comes to the prayer life of a Christian. In fact, Jesus warned about the repetitive and mindless use of prayers—an attempt to get God’s attention and impress Him with “vain repetitions” and “many words” (Matthew 6:7). At the very least, the aforementioned Buddhist practices exemplify the human need to be in constant contact with God—to pray about everything.
Think about those who are dating—and even many married couples—who through communication sustain a strong and committed relationship through whatever means possible when they are separated. Whether it was the love letters of John and Abigail Adams taking two months to cross the Atlantic in sailing ships when they were separated, or Winston and Clementine Churchill sending love notes to each other, carried by a housekeeper, while one was upstairs and the other downstairs in the same house . . . where there is love, there is a need for contact and communication. Today, many young people in love send scores of text messages a day as they keep up with each other’s thoughts and activities.
Constant contact is a way to think about what Paul meant when he said “pray without ceasing.” But there is a more specific analogy that can help us.
Prayer as Spiritual Breathing
You and I may never have attempted the kind of record-setting I mentioned at the beginning of this article, but there is still something that you and I do without stopping that can help us understand what it means to “pray without ceasing”—and that is the physical act of breathing.
Think about breathing—you are doing it right now. You have been doing it all day, all your life, without stopping. For the most part, it’s something you don’t think about because it is an involuntary physical reflex. On the other hand, you sometimes focus specifically on breathing for a specific purpose. But one thing is sure: If you ever stop breathing, your physical life will end. And therein is the analogy: Just as breathing is necessary for physical life, so prayer is necessary for spiritual life. Think about these dimensions of prayer as spiritual breathing.
1. The involuntary dimension.
Yes, you can hold your breath temporarily, but if you want to live you need to breathe without stopping. Breathing is an involuntary physiological response to a physical need for oxygen, while prayer is an ongoing response to all the needs that arise in life. Prayer should be automatic for the child of God—our first response to the joys, sorrows, and needs of everyday life (Psalm 86:7).
2. The continuous dimension.
Breathing is not optional for living beings. Just as we continue breathing even when we sleep, so David wrote, “I meditate on You in the night watches” (Psalm 63:6). When David tended his flocks at night or stood watch against his enemies during “the night watches,” His thoughts were directed toward God. David thought about and communicated with God continually.
3. The exchange dimension.
When we breathe physically, we exchange—we exhale and we inhale. In the same way, a prayerful life is a life of exchange with God. We talk to God and we listen to God. That exchange should be going on all the time as we go through the day. Jesus said to the Father, “And I know that You always hear Me” (John 11:42). That was true because Jesus was always exchanging thoughts with the Father.
4. The life-giving dimension.
You have probably heard this truism: Humans can live 40 days without food, 4 days without water, but only 4 minutes without oxygen. You can have a table full of food and water, but if you’re not breathing, it really doesn’t matter. Same with prayer. Solomon wrote, “for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men” (2 Chronicles 6:30). We can have everything else in life, but if we don’t have an ongoing relationship with the only One who knows us, through prayer, the rest really doesn’t matter.
5. The variable dimension.
Most physical breathing is involuntary, but at times it is purposeful and focused, especially during times of exertion or stress. Prayer is the same way. We pray different ways at different times depending on the need. For an illustration of the most intense, focused prayer recorded in history, read Luke 22:44. Prayer changes, but it never stops.
6. The complementary dimension.
Physical breathing is not the only thing necessary for physical life. We also need food, water, touch, emotional support, relationships, purpose, rest, and others. Just so, we don’t live on prayer alone. But just as breathing never stops even when we are engaged in other physical activity, so prayer is the foundation of our spiritual life. It’s helpful to note that, in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul placed prayer without ceasing between rejoicing and giving thanks. All three are important, but prayer is the centerpiece of the spiritual life.
Think of prayer without ceasing like breathing without ceasing. Change the focus, the pace, and the purpose as needed. But never let it stop.
This practical volume offers insights on the life-changing nature of prayer that may surprise and help even seasoned Christians!