The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 4:2-6 (day six) 

“…, making the best use of the time.” –Paul, Colossians 4:5b

It is no surprise that a man stuck in prison would have something to say about time, but not in the way you might think. Earlier in the week Pastor Larry drew our attention to the total absence of Paul’s request to pray for his release from jail. Now, Paul likely did pray for his own release, but it is clear he didn’t see his time in prison as a waste. So, what does Paul mean, when he commands us to make the best use of the time?

I think Paul wants us to see the value of a moment. To not take the time we have for granted, especially time we have with others. In Ephesians 5, Paul says, “the days are evil.” He means, once time passes, you can’t get it back-so, redeem every moment, cease it.

Paul would encourage us to walk in wisdom among those in our life, at home, at school, or in the workplace. And wisdom is making the most of our time (regardless of the circumstances) with the people in our life, and even those all along the way.

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 4:2-6 (day five) “praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.”

Paul’s personal prayer request is challenging and convicting.  Here is a man that has preached, witnessed, and given his testimony countless times. Yet, he is not content. His desire is to make sure that he continues to talk about Jesus and the gospel clearly and continually. Paul is teaching that speaking our faith must be an intentional priority. If he needs to remind himself and ask for prayer, then don’t we need the same reminder and mission? It is easy for us to go through our days conversing with those around us and never give mention of our faith or testimony. Would others know we are believers by the way we talked?  Would people know how to find Christ for themselves from the way we speak about Him and the scriptures?  Would they want to place their faith and trust in Christ because of our words?

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 4:2-6 (day four)

Pride can sometimes keep us from asking others to pray for us.  We want to project the appearance that everything is going great in our lives.  Paul…who some consider a super-Christian…was not ashamed to ask for prayer.  If an apostle the stature of Paul will ask for prayer, shouldn’t we follow his example?

Notice that Paul, writing from prison, does not ask that God would get him out of prison.  (Often, our first prayer is for our own comfort and protection.) Paul asks that a door for the word will be opened.  His first priority is for his ministry of the gospel.  We have seen this in modern days in nations where the church is under great persecution.  Believers who are imprisoned for their faith will endure torture and isolation and yet, see a great harvest for the gospel within the prison walls.  We are challenged by this selfless display of courage that first and foremost desires to see others come to a saving relationship with Christ!  What is your first prayer?

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 4:2-6 (day three)

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt.”

It’s not uncommon for one to think of Jesus’s “fishers of men” phrase in terms of the dangling of bait and the hauling in of the prized catch. But one might also understandably recoil at the thought of baiting, or—to update the angling metaphor—“reeling in” a person. It seems more plausible that, rather than to the nabbing of unsuspecting prey, Jesus was referring to the traits of his disciples’ profession: patience, an understanding of habits and movements and times and seasons, a tolerance for unfruitful days, a respect for habitat, a willingness to learn from mentors, a comprehension of what threatens the work. Jesus leveraged these qualities to ensure that evangelism treasured people as people. Paul’s words teach us to do no less.

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 4:2-6 (day two) Devote yourselves to prayer. vs 1a

Take this week’s passage in addition to chapter three and consider the weight of these words. How can we adequately treat others the way God intends for us to if we are not seeking guidance, strength, and forgiveness from the Lord? The necessity to pray cannot be overstated. Paul recognizes that all the he has written to the Colossian church is dependent upon an active and vibrant prayer life. Want to treat your spouse better? Pray more. Want to treat your children with more grace? Pray more. Do you need assistance in the way you handle work relationships? Pray more.

Paul is not giving a formula for success, but a foundation to build your faith journey upon.

Re:Verse passage –Colossians 3:18-4:1 (day seven)

This passage is full of commands from God. You can hear the doubters coming out, we have all heard them, “More rules. The Bible is just a list of dos and don’ts.” But pay close attention to the sentence structure. There is a modifier giving explanation and further instruction to every command. These modifiers take the command, which out of context could seem rash or harsh, and show us God’s true intention; everything we do is to be done as for the Lord. When we allow this aspect of the command to become the most important part, God begins to put modifiers on our lives. We begin to follow the commands He set forth, but not in order to simply follow the rules, but because putting God at the forefront of everything we do makes our lives look more like His.

Re:Verse passage –Colossians 3:18-4:1 (day six)

We struggle with these verses because we see them through an old-world lens of power and place, or weak and strong. That’s not what Paul had in mind when writing them.

Jesus said, “If anyone wants to be great must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.” (Matthew 20:26)

Jesus would upend social norms, much like he turned tables in the temple. The temple wasn’t made to be a marketplace, nor relationships a power struggle, everyone vying for the next wrung up the ladder.

Jesus exchanges power with purpose (0r calling), and struggle with service. That’s what redeemed marriages look like. Both husband and wife fulfilling a divine calling, both sacrificially loving the other, outdoing each other with honor (Romans 12:10).

Perhaps, that’s what oneness looks like. Perhaps, that’s what great marriages look like.

The world needs more of those.

Re:Verse passage –Colossians 3:18-4:1 (day five)

One of the questions I would frequently ask teenagers as we talked about the scriptures and Christian faith was, “If I asked those closest to you to describe your faith, what would they say?”  Paul often points to our closest relationships (especially marriage and families) as a litmus for genuine and practical evidence of Christian faith.  So, to ask the question again in this context, “How would your family members describe your faith in Christ?”  Our faith must permeate all our relationships leaving especially those closest to us with no doubt about the presence and power of the Lord. Our faith not only shapes the way we initiate love and care in our relationships, it also is reflected to the way we respond to that same kind of love and care.

Re:Verse passage –Colossians 3:18-4:1 (day four)

How do you work when nobody is watching?  Maybe you are disgruntled with your employer…or you feel like you are in a dead end job…or you believe that your co-workers have it much better…or your job does not meet up to your dreams.  A lot of factors can influence your attitude toward your work and your performance and diligence in getting the job done.

Paul wrote to the Colossians, reminding them that the object of their work was the Lord.  When no one else recognizes or appreciates the job you do, God does.  Our diligence is an act of obedience and may bear fruitful rewards in the future that we cannot possibly foresee.  Maximum effort in whatever we do is about our relationship with the Lord rather than the circumstances of our surroundings.  Will we choose to obey and honor the Lord or will we offer less than our best because we feel we have been slighted in some way?  It is your choice!