Just pray about it
Sunday 26th February
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Just Pray About It
A well-known sportswear company has the slogan ‘Just Do It,’ inviting us to get on and do whatever activity we have in mind (and presumably to do it wearing their shoes and clothes). You could say that ‘Just Pray About It’ would be a suitable Christian slogan – and you can wear what you like for this activity!
I remember reading a book on prayer that had a similar title: Don’t Just Stand There… Pray Something! It is a great book. It didn’t leave me feeling guilty and did leave me feeling that I wanted to pray. And I think the apostle Paul would have approved of the title.
Do you see how all-encompassing his instruction on prayer is in this verse? Just notice how often he uses the word ‘all,’ answering a series of imaginary questions: When are we to pray? On all occasions … always. How are we to pray? With all kinds of prayers and requests. For whom are we to pray? All the Lord’s people. It seems that it is never inappropriate to pray.
This instruction comes towards the end of Ephesians 6, where he is encouraging his readers to engage in the spiritual battle “against the devil’s schemes” (verse 11). No wonder, then, that it is appropriate to pray all the time, in all kinds of ways, for all believers, because we are under constant attack from the evil one with his lies, half-truths, accusations and temptations.
And yet we can expect to stand against him and his schemes, because we stand “strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (verse 10). And prayer is how we lay hold of the Lord’s mighty power, both for ourselves and for others.
Our new Prayer Guide is just one practical way we can be “praying for all the Lord’s people” – at least those in our own church family. I hope you have picked up your copy and will soon find great joy in praying regularly for your brothers and sisters, knowing that they are also praying for you.
Lord, give us wisdom to spot the devil’s schemes and strength to stand against them. Amen.
Yours warmly, in Christ,
Chris Hobbs (Senior Minister)