"God Bless ... Amen!"
Sometimes our prayers can be little more than "God Bless ... this person, or God Bless ... that church.”
How should we pray for each other?
Paul gives us an example in Colossians 1 v 3 -14.
First, he gives thanks
In Colossians 1 v 3, Paul gives thanks for the Colossian believers.
"We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints."
Paul thanks God for their faith in Jesus Christ and for their love for other believers.
He recognises that God is at work in the lives of the Colossian believers. The faith and love they have are clear evidences of God working amongst them. So Paul gives thanks.
How readily do we thank God for the evidences of His grace that we see in the lives of other believers?
Second, he prays for knowledge
He prays that the Colossian believers would be filled with;
"the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding."
Paul is not praying that the Colossian believers would have a better theoretical knowledge of God.
He is praying that they would have a deeper understanding of God's will as it is revealed in His word.
He is praying that they would have a deeper, richer knowledge of the truth concerning Jesus Christ.
He is praying that they would have a deeper knowledge of God and a greater understanding of His saving purposes.
Paul's purpose in praying like this is so that the Colossian believers would live;
"a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way."
He goes on to explain what a life that is worthy of the Lord is:
- It is living a godly, Christ-like life.
- It is continuous growth in the knowledge of God.
- It is being strengthened with all power - so that we are able to persevere in our Christian walk.
- It is joyfully giving thanks to God for all that He has done for us.
If you and I are truly growing in knowledge - we should also be growing in grace.
"The more we know God, the more we will love Him. The more we love Him, the more we will wish to obey Him in thought and word and deed." - Hendriksen
So when you pray for others - take the opportunity to thank God for evidences of His grace that you see in them ...
... and pray that they too would be "filled with the knowledge of His will."