When Paul Prays
Ephesians Study, Reflections from week 2
Ephesians 1:15-23
Key Verse: …I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. Ephesians 1:16
In second part of the 1st chapter Paul tells the Ephesians that he is constantly praying for them. The Ephesians are not the only ones Paul made this proclamation to. Paul faithfully prayed for the Christians he heard about.
And he prayed for amazing things…
“I have not stopped giving thanks for you”
“that God… may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation”
“that you may know him better”
“that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened”
“that you may know the hope to which he has called you”
“(that you may know) the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people”
“(that you may know) his incomparably great power for us”
Paul prayed boldly for the Ephesians.
I confess, I fail to pray boldly for the Christians I hear about.
My prayers for Christians are sincere, but really are about very temporal things.
“give her good health”
“give him strength through this time”
“give her wisdom to pass this test”
“open doors for them”
“may he be safe while he travels”
“bless them financially”
“may this trial be short”
I pray as if Christians only need answers in the here and now. I tend to bind my prayers with time limits based on current circumstances. But God is not bound by time or circumstance.
I pray for the situation rather than for the person.
Going forward I am going to pray more like Paul, praying boldly for people rather than situations, and praying more often. Praying for big things, like wisdom and revelation, and deeper knowledge of God. I believe these things are lacking in our society today and my concern about that should move me to pray.
Father in Heaven, please give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation so I can know you better. I want to know you more so that I can love you more. Please Lord, give Christians throughout the world a spirit of revelation and wisdom. We all need to know you better in order to know how to handle the chaos sin has caused. Unite us all through your wisdom and revelation. In Jesus name, amen.
Love this post. I recall someone telling me years ago that we need to spend more time seeking the FACE of God rather than the HAND of God. Fits well with your insights here. May we all grow in our knowledge of Him!
Oh wow! I. Love. That. Thank you so much for sharing your well worded insight, I think that might have to be my new motto.
Such good insight Jennifer…pray for the person, pray for the eternal. My prayer life just got kicked up a notch.
Thanks Sandra!