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Hi my name is Dean Smith and in this podcast I want to talk about coughing prayer.
In 2017, archaeologists discovered the skeletal remains of a woman wrapped in heavy chains in a grave just outside of Jerusalem. It was part of a graveyard of an ancient Byzantine monastery.
In addition to the chain, the woman died around 500 AD had heavy iron rings around her neck, hands and feet. While many would think she was some type of nefarious criminal in fact the woman was undoubtedly an ascetic, who was part of a religious community, perhaps a convent.
After Christianity became the legal religion of Rome around 380 AD, there was a rapid rise in the number of monasteries and convents, throughout the Roman Empire.
As people isolated themselves from the world in these communities, some went to extreme measures such as wrapping themselves in heavy chains to limit their activities. While there are historical records of men doing this, it was rare for women to be involved in this type of activity. In fact, the archaeologists initially presumed this was a man until further tests revealed it was probably a woman.
It seems that on her death, she was buried, wrapped in chains, as a way of honoring her life.
Of course living a life wrapped in chains very much limited what the woman could do. She could worship. She could mediate. But undoubtedly her primary religious activity bound in chains like this would be prayer.
Oddly enough it was the apostle Paul’s exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing” that was the back drop to the rise of monasteries and convents.
On its website, St. Bede Abbey, a Benedictine monastery located in Northern Illinois cites this verse in to explain the rise of the monastic orders.
We read:
“The early desert hermits took very seriously Paul’s injunction to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and would literally pray in every waking hour and would even arise in the middle of the night for prayer. As monasticism evolved into more communal forms, specific times were established for common prayer in order to fulfill Paul’s mandate.”
So what exactly was Paul trying to tell us when he exhorted Christians to “pray without ceasing.” Was he really urging us to move to monasteries and convents?
This verse is a bit puzzling, because if you prayed without ceasing, when would you have time to work, talk, do the dishes, eat or even sleep.
At first glance, the Greek word “adialeiptos” (translated unceasing) suggests we are to pray all the time. Thayer’s Greek Dictionary even interprets it as “unceasing and continual.”
But is this how Paul was using it.
Because Paul uses the word in Romans 1:9, where he says “For God … is my witness to how unceasingly I make mention of you [the Romans].”
Does this mean he prayed for no one else but the Romans? No, because from his letters we know Paul prayed for the Ephesians (Ephesians 1:6), the Colossians (Colossians 1:3) and Philippians (Philippians 1:3-4).
So when Paul said he was praying unceasingly for the Romans, he was telling them that he was regularly praying for them. Consistency was a trade mark of Paul’s prayer life.
But the usage of this Greek word “adialeiptos” in an ancient papyrus scroll from Egypt may provide additional understanding for the word. In the document the word was used to describe an incessant cough.
I have had these type of irritating coughs. It doesn’t mean that I am coughing all the time, but I am having a regular coughing episodes.
Maybe this was what Paul was referring to? Throughout your day, there are times when you can utter a brief prayer. It doesn’t have to be long. It could be just a few seconds, similar to a cough in length.
Though brief, make sure these prayer are specific. Don’t pray “God bless the world,” which is so general it’s almost meaningless.
The more specific you during these brief prayers, the better.
I remember a while back, I was going through some old papers, and I came across a funeral notice for a friend. So I took a few moments to pray for the salvation of his unsaved family who I mentioned specifically by name.
You can even ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind people you should pray for during these moments.
Recently, a memory popped into my mind of an incident involving a neighbor’s teenage son. He was several years older, and enjoyed bullying the kids in our area. I forgave him again, and then prayed for his salvation. It took all of a few seconds.
I believe this is what the Holy Spirit wanted me to do.
It is a habit that takes time to develop. We aren’t used to praying during our moments of down-time scattered throughout our day.
But you know we always find time to cough when the urge strikes and maybe this was what Paul was referring to when he said “pray without ceasing.”
So when Paul encourages us to pray that way, he is not telling us to pack our bags and head to monastery or nunnery, he is just encouraging us to take moments throughout the day to pray for individuals that the Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance.
In a regular column published in the Globe and Mail several years back called “Ask the Doctor,” the authors discussed the benefits of coughing, writing:1
“Coughing is a natural and important defense mechanism that helps us rid our bodies of secretions, irritants and offending agents such as viruses and bacteria. For that reason, it is never a good idea to suppress a cough.”
So when the Holy Spirit brings people to your mind during the day, don’t suppress those urges to pray. He may be guiding you to utter a quick and brief prayer on their behalf.
Thanks for joining me on this podcast, and I will catch you again.
Source:
- Coughing a natural body defense so it’s not a good idea to suppress it: Ask the Doctor (Globe and Mail, February 6, 2007)
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