Read Colossians 4:2-4
What to Do?
2 Devote yourselves to
prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And 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. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
OFTEN those who are passionate to see the Word of God spread
and for the church to grow ask, “What are we supposed to do?” The question
comes during meetings or after years of trying different approaches to ministry
that seem to show little, if any, growth in the Kingdom of God. That question
comes currently from state leaders in our church denomination as we view a
decade of declining attendance. And the question increasingly comes from godly
parents who wonder why their children avoid or ignore church. How do we answer
the question?
The only answer is
in the prayer focus of Paul’s words here. He doesn’t tell the church in Colosse
to do an ad campaign, start a contemporary service, shorten the sermon,
lengthen the sermon, have parenting classes, or do a service project. He urges
the church to commit to the one strategy: Devote yourself to prayer.
To devote oneself
to a cause means people are earnest to pray. They are constantly diligent to
persevere in prayer and to adhere closely to prayer. It means the church sticks
to praying as if its very life depends upon prayer because it does.
Prayer is God’s
invitation to you to speak to him with trust and faith. Praying tells God you
know you need him to do his will in his church and on earth. Praying lifts your
faith to the throne of God.
Jesus was devoted
to prayer. Why wouldn’t his church be?
A Moment’s Thought: Stop meeting and start praying.
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