READ
Colossians 4:2-6
CONSIDER
Did you ever pray to God saying to Him things that never seemed to be heard, or find that God did not provide those that you had asked for? Lots of time, sure! Even King David found the same situation in many instances when He seemed to find his life coming to an end without help from the Almighty God.
Prayer invites God to act in the troubling arenas of life that so need his intervention. It is a process of petition and intercession. We pray earnestly to God for his will to be done, and wait patiently for His intercession and completion in His timing. “Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all.” (Dwight L. Moody). Yet much of our praying seems to consist of informing him of things, or at least reminding him, which seems to be redundant, or coming to him with a list of things needing manipulating or fixing, things God already sees and knows. But true praying is the encountering of the soul with God, knowing that God loves us as his children and is listening intensely as our Heavenly Father.
In writing to the Colossians, Paul is calling all Christians to a lifestyle of constant prayer and that they should be watchful and thankful about prayer. Our persistence in prayer expresses our faith that God answers prayer. Faith shouldn’t fade if the answers come slowly, for the delay may be God’s way of working out His will in our lives. When you feel tired of praying, remember that God sees you, knows what you need, always listens, and wants to do a great work through you. He will always answer you, maybe not in ways you expect, but in ways that he knows the best.
The ‘mystery of Christ’ is Christ’s Good News of Salvation, the gospel (1:26-27). The whole focus of Paul’s life was to tell others about Christ, explaining and preaching this wonderful mystery. Paul asked for prayer that he would proclaim the Good News about Christ clearly even though he was in chain. We should also pray that God would bring people into our life who will be interested in knowing more about Jesus. Paul suggests here that we need to be alert and smart, looking for opportunities to tell others about Christ, more loving and creative than ever before in our interactions with nonbelievers.
Deacon Samuel Chan
PRAY
Gracious Lord Jesus, lead me today to be a close follower of yours. Guide me on my pathway to be built up and mature in Christ in my deeds and speech, and to know what would be the most essential characteristics I should practice in my life-time to be a spiritually mature Christian. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DIVING DEEPER
Verse 1 talks about treating servants rightly and justly. How does it relate to the following verses about praying constantly?
Suggest ways to preach the Gospel creatively in facing the challenges in life today.
How can Christians in today’s secular world live for Christ smartly and be alert?
How can we live closer WITH GOD in our lives?
How are we being TRANSFORMED to be more like Christ?
How is the Holy Spirit empowering us to imitate Christ in what we DO this week?