“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:17)
“Brother Lawrence (1614—1691) felt intimately close to God as he
humbly scrubbed pots and p ans in the
monastery kitchen. Certainly Brother Lawrence practiced specific times of
devotional prayer. But what he found more life-transforming was prayer during the
workday. In his devotional classic Practicing
the Presence of God, he says, ‘It is a great delusion to think our times of
prayer ought to differ from other times. We are a strictly obliged to cleave to
God by action in the time of action as by prayer in the season of prayer.’ In
short, he advocated that we "Pray without ceasing" (1Thess. 5:17)
That’s a helpful reminder, because sometimes we tend to
compartmentalize our lives. Perhaps we pray only during church worship,
small-group Bible study, family devotions, and personal quiet times. But what
about during our worday? To pray on the job does not mean we have to fall to
our knees with clasped hands and pray aloud. But it does mean that work
decisions and relationships can be brought to God throughout the day.
Wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, God wants to
be a part of it. When prayer enters every aspect of our lives, who knows what
God might do for His glory! —Dennis
Fisher
Let’s always keep the prayer lines open,
Knowing God is always there;
For we upon His name may call
Anytime and anywhere.—D. De
Haan
True prayer is a way of life, not an
emergency detour!”
Our
Daily Bread reading for April 23, ‘12
“Labourers together with God.” (1 Cor. 3:9)
“Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade
concentration on Him. A great many Christian workers worship their work. The
one concern of a worker should be concentration on God, and this will mean that
ll the other margins of life, mental, moral and spiritual, are free with the
freedom of a child, a worshipping child, not a wayward child. A worker without
this solemn dominant note of concentration on God is apt to get his work on his
neck; there is no margin of body, mind or spirit free, consequently he becomes
spent out and crushed.
There is no freedom, no delight in life; nerves, mind
and heart are so crushingly burdened that God’s blessing cannot rest. But the
other side is just as true—when once the concentration is on God, all the
margins of life are free and under the dominance of God alone. There is no
responsibility on you for the work; the only responsibility you have is to keep
in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder
your cooperation with Him. The freedom after sanctification is the freedom of a
child, the things that used to keep the life pinned down are gone. But be
careful to remember that you are freed for one thing only—to be absolutely
devoted to your co- “Worker."
We
have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions
as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us
our one great aim is to pour out a whole-hearted devotion to Him in that particular
work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it
with thy might.”
Devotions
for MORNING and EVENING with OSWALD CHAMBERS
(pg234
for April 23)
"Trust in Him at all times, you people; pouor out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah." (Ps. 62:8)
Today’s 20th truth: If you are “born again”, you are observing and doing the Lord's commandments. (Deut. 28:6)
Tomorrow’s
post: CHRIST’S
TRAVAIL: Prayer Note # 52
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