Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Prayer has been the topic of some recent conversations with friends, friends that have gone through a lot and have had long term prayers that sometimes seem to go unanswered. What are we to do? We are to continue to pray. Today's verse came up in my read through the Bible plan which concluded the book of Colossians today. Paul is encouraging and challenging his readers to "keep ago'in" in prayer.
The HCSB uses the word "devote" while others say pray diligently or earnestly, steadfastly, and persistently. You get the idea, it is to be a regular part of our lives and come from the heart. Some prayers will be answered immediately in the affirmative, other times the answer will be no and other times it will be wait. Often the hard part is the waiting, but we are to persevere.
I read a devotional this morning from John Piper and prayer was his subject as well, relating to Psalm 50:15:
Psalm 50:15 Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me." Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
God is telling the psalmist to call upon Him, He will rescue, He will deliver and as a result God will be honored and glorified as we tell of His deliverance.
John Piper writes, "We do not glorify God by providing his needs, but by praying that he would provide ours — and trusting him to answer.
Here we are at the heart of the good news of Christian Hedonism. God's insistence that we ask him to give us help so that he gets glory (Psalm 50:15) forces on us the startling fact that we must beware of serving God and take special care to let him serve us, lest we rob him of his glory. "
By praying we trust that He will "meet the need". In customer service you may hear someone say "help me to help you", it is by providing information, communicating the need, so it is with us and God. He can do what He pleases but He is most pleased when He gets the glory resulting from answered prayer. As you pray "may your eyes be wide open" (The Message) with thanksgiving as you see His answers, often in ways you wouldn't have imagined.
-- In Christ, Mike Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. NIV
Colossians 4:2-4The Message (MSG)
Pray for Open Doors
2-4 Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don't forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I'm locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I'll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.
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