May 8th - Colossians 4:2-3

Colossians 4:2-3 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. The importance of prayer cannot be exaggerated. It has been wisely said that we are as strong as our prayer lives, and no stronger. That applies just as much to us as individuals as it does to our churches. It is through prayer that we deliberately open up our lives to God, so without it we will soon be struggling. It’s for that reason that Paul encouraged his readers to devote themselves to prayer. Paul was more than aware of the spiritual battle that they were fighting every day, and they needed prayer to keep them spiritually alert. We must never forget that Paul was in prison when he wrote these words. No one knew better than he did how important it was to stay close to God in prayer. I love the fact that prayer and action belonged together in Paul’s thinking. So often, people talk about prayer as if it is a form of opting out. Some people speak about prayer as if it is a last resort when you’ve exhausted all other possibilities. For Paul, prayer was so woven into the fabric of his life that he saw it as the way in which his actions were shaped and directed. It is not surprising that he reminds his readers both that he is in prison and that he is seeking more opportunities for sharing the good news of Jesus. There was no holding Paul back! Wherever he was, he was busily engaged in doing God’s work. As you live for God today, I encourage you to pray specifically. Pray for God to bless all your activities and relationships, and to strengthen and inspire all the people you meet. Whatever you do, remember that God wants to be at the heart of all of your activity. Question What specific blessing are you asking God for today? Prayer Loving Father, thank you for the privilege of prayer. Help me to open more of my life to your blessing. Amen