All We Can Do Is Pray - January 21
- Back to the Bible

- Jan 21
- 3 min read
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17
…pray without ceasing…
Reflect
How would you describe your prayer life? Is prayer your first resource, your last resort, or

somewhere in between?
Sometimes in life, all we can do is pray. Chances are, you've been in circumstances that were completely outside of your control. All you could do about the situation was to take it to the Lord in prayer. Oftentimes, we attribute the need for prayer with a feeling of helplessness. We don’t consider things worth praying about if we think we are capable of handling them ourselves. For many, prayer is a last resort.
But that’s not the prayer life that Paul prescribed to the Thessalonians. He didn’t say pray only when prayer is all there is left for you to do. He said that prayer should be something we do all the time! In fact, Paul said that we should pray without ceasing. We should never stop praying!
Now, Paul certainly didn’t mean that we should quit our jobs so we can spend all day in our prayer closet or kneeling by the side of our beds. He had already communicated the work ethic expected of believers. He simply meant that prayer should be such an integral part of our lives that we are constantly communicating with God. That means having a dedicated time of prayer and it also means talking with God as we go about our days.
The best example we have of a consistent prayer life is from Jesus Himself. Scripture records several instances of Jesus going off by Himself to pray. For example, in Matthew 14:23, Jesus went up on the mountain to pray by Himself after teaching a large crowd that day. In Mark 1:35, Jesus woke up early in the morning to pray by Himself when it was still dark. Jesus kept regular and consistent private times of prayer.
John 17 records Jesus’ high priestly prayer, the longest prayer of Jesus recorded in Scripture. He prayed this for the disciples during the Last Supper. After their meal, Jesus prayed fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane asking the Father to spare Him if there was any other way, but ultimately submitting to the Father’s will. While He was on the cross, the Gospels record Jesus communicating directly with the Father three more times (Luke 23:34, Matthew 27:46/Mark 15:34, and Luke 23:46).
Jesus even modeled prayer for us, teaching us how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). First, we should worship and adore God. We should glorify His Holy Name. Second, we should submit to His will for our lives, not our own. Third, we should ask God to provide for our daily needs. Fourth, we should confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. Finally, we should ask God to protect us from temptation and from Satan’s evil schemes.
As Christians, we should follow Christ’s example—prayer should be central to our daily lives. We should constantly and consistently be in communication with our Father. Prayer is for the times in life when we feel like there is nothing else we can do. But prayer isn’t something we should reserve solely for those moments. In truth, we are completely dependent on the Lord every single moment of every single day. All we can ever do is pray! As the old hymn goes, we need Him every hour. With that in mind, let’s pray without ceasing!
Respond
Lord, I need You. Every hour I need You. Remind me just how much I am dependent on You everyday. Draw me closer to You so that my heart longs to commune with every chance I get. Prompt my heart to pray and never cease. Amen.
Reveal
Who do you know who needs prayer? Offer to pray with them today.



Amen!!! Jesus our almighty Advocate, we thank You for blessing us with the prayer-instructing Truth once again! Lord Jesus Christ, we are overflowing with adoration and praise for You! Blessed be Your majestic Name forever and ever! I AM, we thank You for Your steadfast love, rich mercies, amazingly sufficient grace, and constant faithfulness! Only You, LORD Jesus, do we exalt in glory and honor, for You are worthy! Spirit of Truth, please reign in our hearts, so we will love and worship You on Your terms today.
Christ Jesus, we thank You for being available to hear our prayers (Psalm 34:15). Thank You for interceding on our behalf when we don't know how or what to pray (Romans 8:26-27).…
🔥🔥🔥 Amen! "In truth, we are completely dependent on the Lord every single moment of every single day. All we can ever do is pray! As the old hymn goes, we need Him every hour. With that in mind, let’s pray without ceasing!"