“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18).

Pray without ceasing. Yes, as Christians, we’re supposed to pray but are we supposed to pray all the time? The meaning of this is actually to pray repeatedly and often and to not give up on prayer. If you have a relationship with someone, you talk to them a lot, right? It should be the same with God.

We heard a great message from our Associate Pastor Shawn Campbell recently about intercessory prayer. When we intercede in prayer for someone or for a need, it’s different than what we might call a “regular” prayer. When we intercede for someone in prayer, we are standing in the gap for them, joining the battle for them, or stepping out in faith for them and their need. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16). We have an online Prayer Team at church by which a prayer request can be recorded online and then goes out to over 140 people, intercessors, who pray for the need. We’re praying for one another. We’re interceding for the need and we should be focused.

During Shawn’s message, I got the thought of just how do we pray. Are there different kinds of prayers? It made me think of the focus in my prayers. I heard a pastor say once that it takes about 21 seconds to pray the Lord’s Prayer. He suggested that we could pray that at any time during our day: as we awake, getting ready for work, while driving, at a traffic light or any other time when we have 21 seconds available. I do this every time I leave the house in my vehicle, but I’ve noticed, that if I don’t FOCUS on what I’m praying, I get distracted. I can pray the memorized words of the prayer, but I may see something that draws my attention. Then, I’m just saying words and not focusing on or thinking about what I’m praying. It’s the same with popular hymns and praise songs we sing at church. We can repeat the memorized lyrics but are we really focusing on what we’re singing and Who we’re singing to or about? I also heard the term once, “shoot a prayer” which meant we could say a very quick prayer when we saw a need. Like when we see an emergency vehicle with lights flashing or hear a siren, we can “shoot” a quick prayer for the person that vehicle has responded to. God hears our prayers. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” (1 John 5:14).

We should be praying every day, often and in focus. There are many people who need our prayers. We are intercessors. We are called to pray for each other. Remember, some prayers need to be urgent and fervent, calling on God’s Word about the need, (we have to know the Word to do this). Others can be general but still focused. Think about this the next time you hear a prayer need. Focus!