A Prayer with a Spiritual Twist

"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of you hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which has called you..."  Ephesians 1:16-18

In this rather long passage from Scripture, we find the apostle Paul praying for the Christians at Ephesus. As I came across this passage the other day, two emphases hit home for me.

First of all, Paul gives thanks to God that they have received the Gospel.  Have you thought about giving thanks in your prayers for others you know who have come to faith?  Maybe there is someone who was baptized recently or even someone who has come back to church after being absent for a long time.  We ought to remember those for whom the Spirit of God has been working.

Secondly, I thought of how Paul prays for the spiritual enlightenment of those in the faith.  He prays that they might have wisdom and know the hope to which they have been called.  The wisdom from God is different from the world.  We can pray that those in the faith would have God's wisdom in which to be guided in life. I like this emphasis on hope as well.  With so much despair in our world, people really need God's hope.  This season of Advent ought to remind us that we are, indeed, people of hope.

In the end, may you have other believers in your prayers and think of their spiritual welfare.