The word “ceasing” is found five times in the New Testament (NKJV). Perhaps we know 1 Thessalonians 5:17 the best of these five occurrences, “Pray without ceasing.” Paul gave a command to his brethren to pray, and to do so with a heart that was always ready and active (“without ceasing”) to approach God with any matter. But what about those other four times?
How encouraging to see Paul practicing what he preached! The other four occurrences of “ceasing” in the New Testament came also from Paul’s pen, and, like 1 Thessalonians 5:17, each one is preceded by the word “without.” “Without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers” (Rom. 1:9). “We give thanks to God always for you all… remembering without ceasing your work of faith…we also thank God without ceasing…” (1 Thess. 1:3; 2:13). “I thank God…as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day” (2 Tim. 1:3).
What is there in life that you do without ceasing? Is praying for others one of them?