Forgotten Prayers

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father…”

(Colossians 1:9-12 ESV)

 

Quite often, our prayer life is very self-focused. We pray to the Lord only about our needs and desires. But most of us, at times, do pray for others as well.

 

We pray for those who have various health needs. We pray for those struggling with addictions or other self-destructive habits. We pray for those who may have lost a job. And we pray for the lost, that they might encounter the gospel and be led to faith in Jesus. But rarely do we pray for our fellow believers.

 

When we do pray for our fellow Christians, it’s for an obvious problem. Perhaps they are struggling with their faith. Perhaps they are questioning God or struggling with a sinful tendency. But, even more rarely, do we pray for those who seem grounded in the faith.

 

There are those in the church who seem rock solid in their faith. They seem to have an unwavering trust in Christ. And they’re active in the ministry of the church.

 

They participate in Bible studies. The teach Sunday School or help with youth ministry. They serve on the church council. They help to serve funeral lunches, make repairs to the church building, and reach out to the lost.

 

People like this don’t seem to need prayer. They seem to have it all together. And, for this reason, we rarely, if ever, lift them up to the Lord.

 

Paul, however, prayed regularly for a group of believers. He prayed for a group of believers who had a sincere faith and a great love for one another.

 

He prayed for their growth in faith and understanding. He prayed for their life of faith. He prayed that they might bear fruit. He prayed that they might be strengthened for endurance and patience.

 

In the same way, we can pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can pray for those who seem strong in faith. We can pray for those who are active in ministry.

 

We can pray for God’s ongoing work in their life. We can pray for their continued growth in faith and service. We can pray that fruit would be borne from their faith that brings glory to God.