Prayer With Eyes Wide Open
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Here Paul is writing to the church about her primary purpose, of which he too is involved. Reaching outsiders with the message and mystery of Christ is the mission the church has been given. To go and make disciples for Christ from people who do not know Him is what we are all about. So Paul says that we need to, first of all, be devoted to prayer – with our eyes wide open! Pray being ‘watchful and thankful.’ Pray to God with the expectation that thing will be happening. Pray also with a heart full of gratitude and praise for who He is and what He has done. Pray! Pray for God to open doors for the message. Pray that His people will proclaim the message and mystery of Christ clearly. Pray! And then act too. Act wisely toward outsiders. Make the most of every opportunity… don’t squander them. Be intentional and purposeful and love them with the love of Christ. Be full of grace as you speak with them. They are sinners (just like you) who may be far from God, it’s true. But God is pursuing them! He loves them and wants them to be a part of His forever family – so give them grace! Embrace who they are fully with the vision for who they will become in Christ. Let your words reflect this grace and determine to be a vessel of God’s amazing love and grace in their lives.Father, to this you have called me… and I will.
Colossians 4:2-6
Here Paul is writing to the church about her primary purpose, of which he too is involved. Reaching outsiders with the message and mystery of Christ is the mission the church has been given. To go and make disciples for Christ from people who do not know Him is what we are all about. So Paul says that we need to, first of all, be devoted to prayer – with our eyes wide open! Pray being ‘watchful and thankful.’ Pray to God with the expectation that thing will be happening. Pray also with a heart full of gratitude and praise for who He is and what He has done. Pray! Pray for God to open doors for the message. Pray that His people will proclaim the message and mystery of Christ clearly. Pray! And then act too. Act wisely toward outsiders. Make the most of every opportunity… don’t squander them. Be intentional and purposeful and love them with the love of Christ. Be full of grace as you speak with them. They are sinners (just like you) who may be far from God, it’s true. But God is pursuing them! He loves them and wants them to be a part of His forever family – so give them grace! Embrace who they are fully with the vision for who they will become in Christ. Let your words reflect this grace and determine to be a vessel of God’s amazing love and grace in their lives.Father, to this you have called me… and I will.
