Pray for us

As the apostle Paul draws to a close his letter to the Colossians, he wrote: "At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison..." Colossians 4:3

While Paul had been remembering the Christians at Colossae in his prayers, he now invites them to remember him and his co-workers. They, too, needed his prayers.

We who are pastors and leaders in a congregation do need the prayers of the people we are leading. We need to know we are supported by our brothers and sisters in Christ and that our names are brought before God so that we will receive the power to sustain us.

We note here that Paul prays specifically that God would "open to us a door for the word." As pastors and leaders are always searching for new opportunities for ministry, it is vital to have the prayers of parishioners that God would help open up a new avenue. Sometimes, a new door opened leads to a significant ministry for a congregation.

Do you pray for your pastor and leaders? If not, they would appreciate the support that you can give!

Being Alert in Prayer

As we now continue looking at prayer in Colossians, we come to the apostle Paul writing: "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2

Paul here desires his readers to be "devoted" to prayer. Prayer becomes a regular part of one's life. It's not just something that is used in emergencies. Prayer is viewed as what sustains our relationship with our Creator and enables that relationship to grow.

You might ask in regard to the next part of this verse: What does Paul mean by being alert in prayer? What he means here is being attentive to God or listening for what God might want to say. Oftentimes, we see prayer as a one way conversation. It is really two ways. We are also to be alert to what God might be saying in our conscience at the moment.

How often have you prayed by pausing during your prayer or even at the very end - to take time to listen? As you do so, you might find yourself giving thanks for what you have.

It is a discipline we need to develop. It is not easy in our fast-paced world. I encourage to be "alert" for what God might want to communicate to you.

Remembering Our Brothers and Sisters in Christ

During my vacation I read through the letter of Paul to the Colossians as part of my devotional time. I want to devote the next several weeks to what the letter says in regard to prayer.

The apostle Paul wrote in the opening of the letter: ⁴"In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints..." Col. 1:3-4

How often have you prayed with thanksgiving for the faith and love that the members of your church have or for what you notice in another congregation?

I believe we often take this faith and love for granted. But then, again, it is the work of God through the Holy Spirit who enables us to have such attributes.

I do believe we need to pray with thanksgiving, especially for those within our own congregations. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. They did not just by chance happen to come to such an organization called "the church." The divine power of God was at work.

By praying with thanks for them, we are expressing our appreciation for what God has made them. By such prayers we, too, might be transformed in our valuing them and move us to give words of encouragement to them.