I’ve just completed my yearly consecration of a 40-Day Prayer and Fasting on our National Day. This season was unusual and special in several ways. In previous years, I satiated the 40 days with daily prayer meetings organised by Elijah 7000, Love Singapore, and other church prayer ministries. I’d fill my mind with the Word of God through reading, studying, attending conferences, and teaching seminars.
This year, I upped the ante by organising daily and weekly prayer meetings with my community in response to Pastor Yang’s call and preparation for revival. And it’s been an awesome season, riding the waves and building the momentum of praying together. It’s special because I’ve experienced a fresh grace for prayer.
In his book Virgin Eye, Christian author, Robin Daniels, calls it ‘unceasing prayer’ – something I’ve been trying to learn and experience daily.
Prayer, in its fullest and widest sense is not a single action at a specific time, but an all-life, all-governing state of being. It must not be separated from life – IT IS LIFE! We should pray always but we also have to work, so we pray while we work. We’ve to eat, so we pray while we eat.
While filing and writing, planning, zooming, and cooking, say “This is for you, O God.” Prayer helps set a right stance: it makes us open, alert, expectant, disposed, and available to obey God’s will and, perhaps above all, be ready to be surprised by new learning – about God, self, and others; by new opportunities for service; by the unfolding of the unexpected.
Prayer sanctifies all actions, all encounters. Resolve to be always sensitive – and responsive – even to God’s sotto voce. Remind yourself of God’s constant wish for you to come to Him, be embraced by Him, and find your eternal home in and with Him.
The most necessary practice in spiritual life is that of the Presence of God, where the soul finds joy and contentment in His companionship, talking humbly and lovingly to Him always.
During our work and other activities, we ought to stop for a moment, as often as we can, to worship God in our hearts, to touch Him. Since you know that God is with you in all your actions, that He is at the very depth and centre of your soul, why not pause an instant in your occupations, and even in your prayers, to worship Him inwardly, to praise Him, petition Him, offer Him your heart and thank Him?
Unceasing prayer means to pray before, during, and after every activity: before, as preparation – a readying of body, mind, and soul; during, as a reminder of God’s sustaining hands; afterwards, in songs of praise and trust – whatever the outcome.
Prayer transforms work into worship: by purifying motives, by making more constant our recollection of God, and by making ardent every love offering to Him.
This understanding of constant praying propelled me into another season of prayer and fasting for revival. If you find praying constantly a challenge, come join us at our daily prayer meetings as we cultivate a lifestyle of prayer!
