Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- August 28, 2013
Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. Colossians 4:12
Prayer is not a passive undertaking, but an aggressive engagement with God. It is a labor of love. It is a toil of trust. It is a work of the Holy Spirit through holy intercessors. Indeed, prayer without spiritual perspiration lacks the intensity the Spirit requires. Pray in the face of fatigue and you will find God. Pray proactively as a servant of Jesus for those who are servant’s of Jesus. Pray earnestly for a friend who faces disease to be healed. Pray hardest when it’s hardest to pray.
We can pray effectively for one another, because we are like one another. Since Epaphras was one of them, his prayers oozed with empathy and emotion. Prayer is much more than a mental interaction with the Truth, it is an intense intimacy with our Heavenly Father motivated by our compassion and fueled by faith. The gift of earnest prayer may be the most valuable asset we have to give to those we love. Who needs to know that you are really lifting them up to the Lord?
Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16
What is the substance of our supplications for those who need our prayers? We fervently petition our Father in Heaven for our friends and family to stand firm in the will of God. We ask Jesus to give them a righteous resolve not to waver from where He has them. Better for our loved ones to be on a stormy sea experiencing God’s will, than on a calm shore outside His will. A firm faith flushes out fear and aligns with the Almighty. Pray hard for a friend under pressure to persevere.
Lastly, pray hard for those God brings into your life to mature in their faith and be fully assured of Christ’s faithfulness. A mature faith is not easily deceived by sin or Satan. It is on the look out for cheap imitations of intimacy that only lead to disappointment. Pray hard for leaders you know to have a humble dependence on Jesus and to rest secure in Him. You join in another’s struggle as you send forth supplications to heaven. Pray the hardest, when it is hardest to pray!
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Romans 15:30
Prayer: Heavenly Father, use me to pray hard for those who are having a hard time.
Related Readings: Matthew 7:7; John 9:31; 2 Corinthians 1:11; James 5:17-18
Post/Tweet today: Pray hardest when it’s hardest to pray. #prayhard
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