1 Thess. 5:12-18
Concordia Chapel
18 November 2008

Dear friends in Christ;

At the end of Paul’s letter to the Christians in the northern Greek city of Thessalonikē, Paul has some interesting things to say about the shape of the Christian life. So if we wish to learn how Paul thought about living the Christian life, this is a good place to look.

      One of his admonitions is to “Pray without ceasing.” Is this just hyperbole? How can you pray without ceasing and get anything else done? In his letter to the Romans, Paul makes the rather puzzling statement that we do not know what to pray for. The NRSV translation is “we do not know how to pray,” which may be true, but it’s not what Paul said. He said, “we do not know what to pray for,” which he attributes to our “weakness.” But, he says, “the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” If a statement such as “we do not know what to pray for” sounds kind of silly, that  may only reveal how little we understand prayer. The Spirit does not really seem to help much if we were looking for something specific to pray for. The Spirit intercedes with “sighs too deep for words;” it could also be translated “groans too deep for words.”  Of course, Paul does not always talk about prayer this way. He can, for example, tell the Romans that “without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers.” So prayer can be a conscious and constant remembrance of others. But then why does he say that we do not know what to pray for? Apparently, prayer can be a deep inner struggle with no other result than the sighs and groans of the Spirit within.

      I said that in these few verses at the end of his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul gives us a sketch of what the Christian life is like. Pray without ceasing, yes, and no doubt he is thinking of prayer for others because the whole context deals with how we deal with others. Be at peace among yourselves. Encourage the faint-hearted. Help the weak. Be patient with everyone. Never repay evil for evil, but rather do good even when you have been wounded. Rejoice always. Give thanks always, whatever the circumstance, and not just when good things happen to you.

      I think this is Paul’s idea about our calling as Christians. We are to be sources of healing in a world of pain and anger and fear. In Jewish tradition, this is called tikkun olam—the healing or mending of the world. We don’t need to think of international conflict, or global warming, or the financial meltdown. We can bring healing on a small scale, to those we meet, share meals with, share dorms or homes with, or others whom we meet from time to time.

      In a world filled with impatience, we are called to be patient even with the obtuse or ornery.

      In a world filled with vengeance, back-biting, resentment, and anger, we can demonstrate the power of non-violence, of doing good rather than fighting back.

      In a world where the strong trample over the weak, we are called to stand beside the weak and to encourage the apprehensive.

      You say, that’s all fine and good, but how can we do such things? How can we muster the will and the grace to be balm for the world’s wounds, and hope for the world’s despair? I think that’s where the “pray without ceasing” comes in.”  I think Paul was aware that he was asking people to adopt a way of life which is not natural, which runs counter to the way of the world. To pray without ceasing is to struggle with God and with ourselves each and every day. Maybe it’s a little like learning to walk on a tight rope strung high off the ground. As long we one is constantly afraid of falling, and worried about a miss-step, one will probably never learn to walk on a tight rope. Praying without ceasing begins to make sense! But the point is that there can come a point where our fears, which are well-founded, are overcome, and we develop a confidence which is nevertheless cautious, and we become free. I think Paul recognized that living a life worthy of our calling really is a constant struggle, and we never do get beyond that. But those around us, who can sense at least at times our freedom from fear and from anger will certainly be the better for it. It’s healing the world on a small scale.

Arland D. Jacobson