“Pray without ceasing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Throwing up a Prayer

Tournament time is upon us, which means nail-biters and upsets will fill our TV screens. Workplaces will be unproductive, and our brackets will be busted on the first full day of games.

Often, in these games, teams “throw up a prayer” at the final buzzer. We’ve heard this term before, and it refers to the last effort of a team who has to try a last second shot, mostly from beyond half court. It almost never goes in, let alone hits the backboard or even the rim. But it’s thrown up in the air, and everyone on that team hopes it falls through the net.

Have you ever heard someone in a situation that seems desperate and hopeless say, “Well, all I can do is pray”?

HUH!? “All you can do is pray!?” As if that’s the last thing there is to do?

No, no, and no. If we look at prayer as a last second heave, hoping it goes in, while hanging on to a miniscule amount of hope that the ball will actually go through the net, then we have no understanding of what it means to talk to our Father in prayer.

Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians give us the idea that a Christian’s life is shown by a prayerful life. It’s not that we are praying every second of every day but that our hearts are focused on prayer and constant communication with our Father.

Prayer should not be a last ditch effort. It is not what we do when we feel like there is nothing left to do. As Christians, prayer should just be what we do no matter what.

So the next time you pray, ask yourself: am I doing this because I feel like there is nothing left for me to do or because constant communication with my Father is what I do?

– DANIEL MATTHEWS

(PHOTO CREDIT: Gabriella Pinto)