Saturday, March 8: Ephesians 3- Praying for others.

This is the second time Paul has written a prayer in this letter. Listening to others pray is one way we learn to pray. Paul prayed:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (14-19).

Paul prayed to the Father, and first lauded Him.

Paul prayed that his friends would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit and that this Holy Spirit strengthening would bring Christ to the forefront of their heart.

Paul’s prayer is Trinitarian; Father, Spirit and Jesus Christ all are named.

Paul prays that love will grow… that his friends would grasp (what a great word) Christ’s love for them in increasing measure.

Paul prays that understanding this love would fill them with the fullness of God. Remember God is love (1John 4:16)

There are times to pray for specific issues in a person’s life, a health need, a situation, etc. But what I hear in Paul is to never loose sight of the bigger picture.  The person, that grows in Christ, in love and that God in his fullness –Father, Son and Holy Spirit- is actively working and maturing our pray-ee in love and fullness.

Hmmm, as I continue to pray daily for family, friends and the world, using Operation World (www.operationworld.org), it seems this would be a tremendous posture to adopt amidst my intercessions as I pray. Maybe I should commit this prayer to memory along with the Lord’s Prayer and others, so that I can pray it intentionally as I pray…

Teach me, Oh, Lord, to pray. Show me how to grow in prayer. Amen.

 

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