15 lines
4.3 KiB
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15 lines
4.3 KiB
HTML
<html><head><title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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<div class="head">Day By Day By Grace</div>
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<div class="subhead">Bob Hoekstra</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020">December 23</div></div>
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<h1>Jesus' Call to Pray without Ceasing</h1>
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<div class="block"><i><b>Pray</b> <b>without ceasing</b>…Then He spoke a parable to them, that men <b>always ought to pray</b> and not lose heart…"And shall God not avenge His own elect who <b>cry out day and night</b> to Him?"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Th', 5, '17-17');">1 Thessalonians 5:17</a> and <a onClick="return mV('Luk', 18, '1-1');">Luke 18:1</a>, <a onClick="return mV('Luk', 18, '7-7');">7</a>)</div>
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<p><b>Praying without ceasing</b> is the way to relate rightly to the God of all grace. Jesus called His followers to live in this prayerful manner when He told a parable that contrasted a godless human judge with God, our righteous judge.</p><p>The primary message of this parable would be that men should <b>persistently pray at all times</b>. <i>"Then He spoke a parable to them, that men <b>always ought to pray</b> and not lose heart."</i> Jesus used the illustration of a wronged widow who was appealing for help from an unjust judge. At first, the judge had no interest in assisting her. However, when she persisted, he relented and gave her relief. <i>"Though I do not fear God nor regard man, because this widow <b>troubles me</b> I will avenge her, <b>lest</b> by her <b>continual</b> coming she <b>weary me</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Luk', 18, '4-5');">Luke 18:4-5</a>). The ungodly judge granted her relief, although he was not motivated by fear of God nor by compassion for man. His action was merely self-serving. Jesus then contrasts this to the holy motivations of our loving God, who responds to the needs of His children, as they call upon His name. <i>"And shall <b>God</b> not avenge His <b>own elect</b> who <b>cry out day and night to Him</b>?"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Luk', 18, '7-7');">Luke 18:7</a>). The Lord Jesus hereby encourages us to pray without ceasing.</p><p>Jesus' own life was an example of praying persistently. At times, Jesus was up before dawn for extended prayer with the Father. <i>"Now in the <b>morning</b>, having risen a long while <b>before daylight</b>, He went out and departed to a <b>solitary place</b>; and there <b>He prayed</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Mar', 1, '35-35');">Mark 1:35</a>). On another occasion, He prayed the entire night through. <i>"Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain <b>to pray</b>, and <b>continued all night in prayer</b> to God"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Luk', 6, '12-12');">Luke 6:12</a>). In addition to His rich private prayer life, Jesus prayed regularly in public as well. <i>"<b>I thank You</b>, <b>Father</b>, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes…Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and <b>looking up to heaven</b>, <b>He blessed</b> and broke them… <b>Father</b>, I thank You that <b>You have heard Me</b>. And I know that <b>You always hear Me</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Mat', 11, '25-25');">Matthew 11:25</a>; <a onClick="return mV('Luk', 9, '16-16');">Luke 9:16</a>; and <a onClick="return mV('Jhn', 11, '41-42');">John 11:41-42</a>). If Jesus, the Son of God prayed habitually, how clearly we are to do the same.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Jesus, my Lord, I want to heed Your radical call to a path of unceasing prayer. I want to follow Your wonderful example of a life of habitual prayer—in private and in public. Lord, stir my heart to such prayer, by Your empowering grace, Amen.</div></div></div><div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/12/1222.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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