Monday, November 5, 2007

What I learned about prayer this week

Our church is reading together a devotional on prayer called Love to Pray. Weekly, we meet together in small groups to watch a short video on an aspect of prayer and discuss the video and a particular passage on prayer. This week, the discussion focused on using scriptures as the basis for our prayers. That is, reading or memorizing certain passages of scriptures that could be used as prayers. These are not just prayers cited in scriptures, but other passages as well.

The main passage we studied was Colossians 1:9-12. In reading and discussing this passage as a prayer, we realized the passage focuses on things God would want for our lives, as opposed to many of our prayers that focus on things we want for our lives. In addition, the video challenged us to pray this kind of prayer not only for ourselves, but on behalf of friends, family or non-believers. As our discussion progressed, many of us were simply overwhelmed with the profound nature of this passage as a prayer.

We closed our small group time with a short time of silent prayer, where each of us took the opportunity to pray this scripture several times, either on behalf of others or for ourselves. I was amazed at how powerful this prayer was, and that's why I wanted to share it with you.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. (Col 1:9-12 NIV)

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