Watchful not Wantful

S – Colossians 4: 2&3

 

‘Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 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.

 

O – Another great focused prayer encouragement form Paul. To be both watchful, and thankful in our attitude to prayer and not to be casual about it. He asks for prayer that God will do the opening of the doors for the gospel message. He knew that seeking God’s guidance and activation was the key. It was God who is the door opener for the message; it wasn’t his own thoughts, strengths or strategies. It was a deliberate asking and waiting for the Lord to open the doors. He also refers to the breadth of the message as a mystery – a mystery that will never be solved, but one that has no ending in what it reveals.

 

A – This is again another great challenge to my own devotion and attitude in prayer. How easy I can lose the impact and importance of prayer. I know if I don’t keep the focus and attitude right then my prayers can degenerate in their focus too purely around my own circumstances and issues. If I feel there are no issues then it becomes casual and with no kingdom intention or outcome. Paul instructs me to keep focused, to be watchful and thankful and not ‘Wantful’. For there to be a higher purpose in my prayer, that the doors will open for the preaching of the message. I am challenged and convicted as to how little my praying is directed to this, and yet I say I believe that it is the most important commission given to me. How I forget that God is the one who opens the doors. It’s not from my human endeavour or my so called good ideas. I seem to so readily forget this focus and pray for lesser things and then lose this important focus. I think this is why he is telling me to be devoted, not causal or inconsistent. It seems devoted prayer is directed to opening the doors for the message.

 

P – Lord I need your help to be more watchful and thankful. The more I allow this to happen in y life the more I pray for what is important. Forgive me when I allow my prayers to be so ‘me’ centric. Lord I want to be part of the great prayer that you will open the doors for the message.