The Apostle Paul was certainly a man of prayer, and he sets forth prayer as central to the Christian life. Romans 12.12 has, "Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying" (NLT). Ephesians 6.18 reads, "Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people" (CEV). In Colossians 4.2, we are told: "Continue praying, keeping alert, and always thanking God" (NCV).

Paul refers to a man named Epaphras and his diligent commitment to prayer for the Colossian Christians: "Your own Epaphras, who serves Christ Jesus, sends his greetings. He always prays hard that you may fully know what the Lord wants you to do and that you may do it completely." "Always prays hard" the Authorized Version renders: "labouring fervently ... in prayers."

Now, we consider the word "fervent." "Fervent" derives from the Indo-European "to boil up." So, fervent pertains to strong desire and determined, focused effort.

Paul refers to fervency in Romans 12.11. The passage has, "Do not be lazy but work hard, serving the Lord with all your heart." Again, the Authorized Version renders "work hard ... with all your heart" by "fervent in spirit." The Contemporary English Version sees "spirit" referring to the Holy Spirit and has, "Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord."

Show me your prayer life, and you show me your whole Christian life - or non-Christian life. Your prayer life, or lack of it, mirrors your whole relationship with others and the Divine, or lack of it.

Scripture makes clear, as common sense does, that our relationship with God is to be one of fervent in work and prayer. Indeed, prayer is the most important work in the life of the Christian and the communities of faith.

Remember the opening words of Teresa of Avila. They remind us that prayer arises from a choice based on desire. If I do not yearn to pray, long for connection with the Sacred, my prayer life will be weak or nonexistent. I will makes excuses of why I do not have time. If I am fervent in my love for the Sacred, I will find that I discover there is always time to pray, and I will learn how to pray in any situation and on all occasions.

Why? Prayer is not reliant on particular outer conditions. Prayer is reliant on only one matter: the condition of my heart.

*Derivation of word "fervent" from Websters New World Dictionary & Thesaurus. 2005.

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