prayer

“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12

“O God of the Open Ear, teach me to live by prayer as well as by providence, for myself, soul, body, children, family, church. Give me a heart frameable to Thy will; so might I live in prayer, and honour Thee, being kept from evil, known and unknown… (Valley of Vision; pp edition, p 137)

This scripture wasn’t part of my daily reading but was the focus of a devotional that I read by Sam Storm’s The Hope of Glory. Sam Storms spoke of how Paul commended Epaphras for his prayers for the Colossians. Reading both the scripture and the devotional made me yearn to STRUGGLE on behalf of my family, my friends, my church like my brother Epaphrus.

When I first was saved I prayed so much more than I do now. What happened? I’m not sure, but I realized this morning I want to live by prayer once again the way I did when I first met Jesus Christ.

So, please pray for me as I go before the Lord and ask him for the gift of struggling on behalf of others in my prayers. Can you imagine how God will answer prayers as we pray that others would stand mature and assured in ALL the will of God? Oh yes, I want to pray again like I used to, I want to pray like Epaphras. Work this in me O Lord, my God!