“Continue steadfast in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
I know that I’ve commented on this before, but the frequency with which Paul talks about prayer is striking. Everything he did was completely wrapped up in prayer. Decisions were made in prayer. Thanksgiving was made in prayer. Mission work was done with prayer. Preaching was done with prayer. And even the time Paul spent in chains as a prisoner was filled with prayer.
Why? Why does Paul pray so much?
I think there are a couple reasons we do well to think about.
First, Paul was convinced that God both hears and answers the prayers of his people. Prayer was therefore natural. In today’s world we are taught that if something is going to happen, we’ve got to make it happen. There are some areas of life where that is more or less true, but not in the kingdom of God. In our relationship with God we are the saved and He is the Savior. We continually want to come to Him on equal footing, but we cannot do that. We must not do that! We must remain dependent on God as we go about the work He has give us to do. The King is mighty to save and He loves us, so we cry out to Him in all circumstances.
Second, Paul knew that, in and of himself, he was not capable of accomplishing the task God had given him. He speaks of his imprisonment in Colossians. As he writes this letter, he is awaiting judgment. He knows his life is in someone else’s hands. In 2 Corinthians 4:8b-10 he wrote, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted; but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” In everything Paul recognized that without God’s power, without being connected to Jesus, and without being filled with the Spirit he could not do anything.
It’s apple picking time here in Michigan. My kids had the opportunity to go to the orchard this past Sunday with a family from church and pick apples. They had a blast.
Apple picking can be a profound spiritual lesson for us as Christians.
The owner of the orchard depends on his trees producing apples for his livelihood. No apples, no cider, no tours, no money. Throughout the season he cares for the trees and does what he can to provide the best opportunity for those apples to grow. He’ll prune dead branches, watch for disease and other things that would harm the harvest. At the end of the day, however, he does nothing to make the apples grow. Then, when the apples do grow, if he tries to pick them too early they will cling to the branch and the pulling can break the branch and bruise the fruit. Yet, when the time is right and the apple is really ripe, it will just fall from the branch into his hand at the slightest touch.
Prayer is relying on God to bring that ripe fruit. Prayer is waiting, knowing that God is at work, and it is His work we’re involved in.
Father, help me to pray trusting You to ripen the fruit of Jesus’ salvation as I serve you. Amen.
I know that I’ve commented on this before, but the frequency with which Paul talks about prayer is striking. Everything he did was completely wrapped up in prayer. Decisions were made in prayer. Thanksgiving was made in prayer. Mission work was done with prayer. Preaching was done with prayer. And even the time Paul spent in chains as a prisoner was filled with prayer.
Why? Why does Paul pray so much?
I think there are a couple reasons we do well to think about.
First, Paul was convinced that God both hears and answers the prayers of his people. Prayer was therefore natural. In today’s world we are taught that if something is going to happen, we’ve got to make it happen. There are some areas of life where that is more or less true, but not in the kingdom of God. In our relationship with God we are the saved and He is the Savior. We continually want to come to Him on equal footing, but we cannot do that. We must not do that! We must remain dependent on God as we go about the work He has give us to do. The King is mighty to save and He loves us, so we cry out to Him in all circumstances.
Second, Paul knew that, in and of himself, he was not capable of accomplishing the task God had given him. He speaks of his imprisonment in Colossians. As he writes this letter, he is awaiting judgment. He knows his life is in someone else’s hands. In 2 Corinthians 4:8b-10 he wrote, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted; but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” In everything Paul recognized that without God’s power, without being connected to Jesus, and without being filled with the Spirit he could not do anything.
It’s apple picking time here in Michigan. My kids had the opportunity to go to the orchard this past Sunday with a family from church and pick apples. They had a blast.
Apple picking can be a profound spiritual lesson for us as Christians.
The owner of the orchard depends on his trees producing apples for his livelihood. No apples, no cider, no tours, no money. Throughout the season he cares for the trees and does what he can to provide the best opportunity for those apples to grow. He’ll prune dead branches, watch for disease and other things that would harm the harvest. At the end of the day, however, he does nothing to make the apples grow. Then, when the apples do grow, if he tries to pick them too early they will cling to the branch and the pulling can break the branch and bruise the fruit. Yet, when the time is right and the apple is really ripe, it will just fall from the branch into his hand at the slightest touch.
Prayer is relying on God to bring that ripe fruit. Prayer is waiting, knowing that God is at work, and it is His work we’re involved in.
Father, help me to pray trusting You to ripen the fruit of Jesus’ salvation as I serve you. Amen.
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