Praying Always!

I love a routine. And for me, I like to watch the news during dinner. However, following the news these days, especially with the unrest around the world and then the inevitable political fall-out due to the Presidential Election, is not good for digestion. Moreover, being a fix-it person, it is hard to know the right solution or a clear pathway ahead without full disclosure of the problem, which inevitably results in more angst and frustration. I would like to point out that in medicine, there are rules in the rule book about full disclosure. We call it ‘consent’ and without out it there is a serious breach of contract. Why can’t lawyers live by similar rules?

Enough is enough! I have decided to make a stand… So, what is my platform?

I choose to pray! God has given us His word for a battle cry. 1 Timothy 2: 1-2 says:

“First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people, for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way”.

God has given us a charge… we are to pray for all men in general and specifically for all in authority by using all manner of prayers from our arsenal. We should make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks; Supplications for the averting of evil, prayers for the obtaining of Gods good, intercessions for others, and thanksgivings for mercies already received.

As Disciples of Christ our job while in the world is to pray… praying always with all prayer (Ephesians 6:18). We are to become a spiritual Johnny Appleseed, of sorts. Johnny Appleseed?

Jonathan Chapman also known as Johnny Appleseed was born September 26, 1774 and died in March, 1845. He was an American pioneer who introduced apple trees to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. An American legend, Johnny Appleseed was known for his kindness and for scattering apple seeds wherever he went. What if wherever you went, there were people scattering prayers… praying always…. Continuously praying with all kinds of prayers?

We are to pray for kings regardless if they are for us or not. When the book 1 Timothy was written, the ‘kings’ at the time were enemies and persecutors, yet they and we are charged to pray for them. For kings, and all that are in authority especially if they are inferior: we must pray for them, and we must give thanks for them, pray for their welfare and for the welfare of their kingdoms and not plot against them.

When we pray and give thanks for them and give thanks for the benefit we have under their government, our hearts change… peace comes. God calms and quiets our spirit. We see God and the other things, the temporal things don’t matter, because God is.

Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12: 2), demonstrated holiness and goodness and charity by praying for all people He encountered. Christ scattered prayers as one who scattered seeds while he was going… like, going…going ye therefore (Matthew 28:18). Christ continues to pray. Heb 7:24-25 says, “Jesus lives forever, so he serves as a priest forever. That is why he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this because he always lives and intercedes for them”.

Imagine, wherever you went, there were people scattering prayers… praying always… all kinds of prayers?

And the world will [know the One]”“Imagine all the people living [not] for today, but…

Imagine all the people living as we pray.

Imagine all the people living life in peace.
You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us