Christian life is prayer. St. Paul’s guidance to “pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18), suggests that all of life is prayer. Every Sunday we are sent from our gathering around the means of grace to continue our worship, recognizing that all of life is in Christ. It is our prayer life that nourishes our growth toward living all of daily life in Christ.
Often we talk about prayer only as our petitions to God. Our relationship with God should assume a two-way conversation in which we listen as well as speak. Martin Luther colorfully illustrates this saying, “If we want our prayers to be heard, we must first hear God’s Word; otherwise [God] will not hear us either, no matter if we weep and shout till we burst!”*
With this encouragement, seek out ways you can listen as well as speak to God, so your whole life may be lived in constant prayer.
Today is the second Sunday in Easter. The readings for today are Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 133; 1 John 1:1–2:2; John 20:19-31. This message was adapted from “Speaking with God” written by Kevin Anderson that first appeared in the July/August 2010 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine. *Source: Heinrich, Bornkamm, Luther’s World of Thought, translated Martin H. Bertram; St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House.