Tireless Praying

Have you ever wondered how you can “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5.17)? Those of us who grew up in a church learned this verse early. But how do we follow it? We can’t walk around with our heads bowed and our eyes closed. Other responsibilities call for our attention. You can’t pray all the time. Or can you? A look at the original Greek translation offers little help when it instructs us to “pray continuously, without interruption.” This week, a missionary friend wrote of his discovery in a Swahili Bible, which translates this verse literally as, “pray without getting tired to the point of wanting to give up.” So we are to continue praying, even if we feel we are not successful in our efforts, even if we grow weary in the same intercessions, even when no answer is apparent, even when circumstances seem hopeless. Keep knocking at midnight even when no one seems to respond (Luke 11:5-8). Keep pleading before the Judge when no immediate response is offered (Luke 18:1-8). Hang in there! Pray on!

Join me this week in praying for the following global requests:
• Pray for Ukrainian believers and those who minister among them as they anticipate problems in their economy when Euro 2012 ends the last week of June.
• June 25, is the first day of the Upward Basketball Camps in Camarma and Alcobenda, Spain. Pray for those who lead.
• Continue to pray for The 2012 London Summer Olympic Ministry Team as they work with visa applications and are appealing some visa denials.
• Pray for Lori and others who serve daily in the midst of political uncertainty.
• Pray for Eric and Tricia as they continue to develop an evangelism and discipleship curriculum in Thailand.