Pray Like Paul

WE ALWAYS THANK GOD FOR ALL OF YOU, MENTIONING YOU IN OUR PRAYERS. 1 Thessalonians 1.2.

Sometime ago, I was outstation for a few days, visiting my daughter and family. Even though on leave, I managed to keep up reading Bible passages for my daily meditation. The above passage in which the dear apostle Paul expressed his deep feeling of responsibility for the believers and his care and concern for them, touched a fresh chord in my soul. At times, before beginning to write the day’s devotionals, I specially take time to remember you before God, my devotional readers from all over the world, and make mention of you to Him, following the example of the great apostle.

Somehow, I feel that God in His providence has placed on me the burden of your souls, to feed, nourish and strengthen you that you will continue well to the end. I continue to “pray for you, asking God to: 1) Fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 2) That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; 3) Bearing fruit in every good work, 4) Growing in the knowledge of God, 5) Strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 6) Joyfully giving thanks to the Father” (Col 1.9-12).

The apostle Paul constantly thanked God for the believers, wherever they were, scattered all over Asia and Europe and belonging to churches, large and small, and consisting of Jews and Gentiles. Paul had a true shepherd’s or pastor’s heart. Otherwise, he could not have been constantly praying for the believers and mentioning them to God. Thank God for all the faithful servants, pastors and leaders of churches all across the world who labour day and night for the sheep under their care and above all, remember each one of them before the throne of grace of God.

Dear believer, God has called you to pray for all saints (Eph 6.18) and even for all people and their rulers (1 Tim 2.1,2). You too must begin to pray like Paul daily, not just for yourself but also for your fellow-believers! We need it do it for each other! The Lord Jesus Christ, ‘the head of the church’ (Eph 5.23) and the ‘Great Shepherd of the sheep’ (Heb 13.20) came from heaven to seek and to save sinners and make us saints unto God the Father. He has made you a leader of some sort, to God’s people: children, youngsters, adults and old people; small group or large. May the Lord give you His shepherd-heart so that you will be filled with love and compassion for each soul under your care. Thank God that His love is for the wayward and lost. His love is more for those within the church (Heb 9.14). The Bible says, “Jesus, having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love” (Jn 13.1). Those whom your God loves, you too must love and pray for! When Job began to intercede for his three friends, God turned his hitherto misery into blessing! It can be so for you too!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, give me a heart like that of the apostle Paul so that I will pray like him for all saints, instead of finding their faults. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.