“Watch unto (into) prayers” (1 Peter 4:7).
“pray without ceasing;” 1 Thess. 5:17
“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).
To pray without ceasing is simply God’s way of saying, “Stay in constant communion and conversation with me.” He is not telling us to walk around all day long with our eyes closed while we pray. As a matter of fact, I can’t find anywhere in Scripture where people closed their eyes when they prayed. Instead, The Holy Spirit is telling us that to walk in the Spirit there is a continual participation in conversation that we are called to live in. It is a descending, and ascending relationship, lived under an open Heaven. Those words in 1 Peter 4 are so insightful. We are told there to “watch into prayers.” God is conversational, because He is relational, and healthy relationships are always cultivated through communication. He is often speaking to us in our hearts calling us into new conversations. This can happen as we walk along, or are sitting at a desk, or at any time in our routine of life. This can of course, can be a call to a set apart time in our prayer closest, but I’ve found this to mostly be a call to intermittent conversation, other than our normal quiet time prayer. “To watch,” means to keep your spiritual ears bent toward Him in case He is wanting to draw you into prayer. This is how we learn to hear His voice on a continual level. During these conversations as we go in life, He often gives us insight into something we are dealing with or about to face at some point during the day. He gives us warnings, reveals His will, or releases discernment during these brief times of engagement. It is important that we learn to practice His presence like this, if we are going to live being led moment by moment, and stay out of harms way spiritually. We are not called to walk introspectively, or fearfully, but to simply keep our eyes on Him, (watching Him) leaning toward prayer when He initiates it.