Tag: obedience

Constant prayer

Published on by lindseybiggsLeave a comment

The Bible talks about “praying without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17), which can sometimes sound like an unattainable goal.

How does one pray all the time? Is it even possible?

I recently came across two statements in the Christian Science textbook, which helped me understand this better.

“The habitual struggle to be always good is unceasing prayer.” (Science and Health, p. 4)

“Consistent prayer is the desire to do right.” (Science and Health, p. 9)

So, when I desire to do the right thing and to be good, I am praying.

I wanted to ask a friend for a favor the other day. Then thought came to me: rather than just invite him over to help me on a project, I should invite him over for dinner, hang out with him and enjoy his company. We could get the project done at the same time, and I could take the time to appreciate getting to know him in a new way (he has helped my family on many occasions). Later, I realized that my desire to do the right thing in this situation, was actually a form of praying.

So whether we’re picking out a movie to watch on a Friday night or making plans with friends, our desire to do good in every situation is a form of praying.

That certainly makes the goal of “praying without ceasing” much more tangible to me!

My dog Nya

Published on by lindseybiggs2 Comments

I love my dog Nya.

Nya is so radiant with joy. She is always happy. She also expresses the spiritual qualities of readiness and alertness. And she is so energetic.

She is ready to go whenever I say, and she always watches me to see if she is needed to respond.

She is a true child of God in this way.  May we all be as vigil in our spiritual devoutness; keeping our eyes on our Father-Mother God at all times; joyfully waiting for God’s call, expectant and ready.

She is so pure and innocent. She never has a malicious motive or purpose. Her purity is a wonder to me.

We all have the spiritual innocence and purity that we see express in these friends in our lives.  It reminds me of  an excerpt from Mary Baker Eddy’s address at the National Convention in Chicago on June 13, 1888.

“Beloved children, the world has need of you, — and more as children than as men and women: it needs your innocence, unselfishness, faithful affection, uncontaminated lives. You need also to watch, and pray that you preserve these virtues unstained, and lose them not through contact with the world. What grander ambition is there than to maintain in yourselves what Jesus loved, and to know that your example, more than words, makes morals for mankind!”

She is referencing Jesus’ love for children in this excerpt. When human reasoning tempted Jesus’ disciples and they asked the question, “Who will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus responded by calling a little child over, and he said: “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Let’s claim the innocence, purity, joy – the childlikeness – we see around us as our own. And keep our lives, our thought, untainted from the world.