Charles Stanley (August-17-2024) Daily Devotional: A Model for Prayer.
Don't let life's busyness distract you from the important work of intercession.
Colossians 1:10-14 - so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Let’s continue using Paul’s prayer as a model. Yesterday, we made note of the first two requests. Now let’s consider the other four. In Colossians 1, Paul prays that his brothers and sisters would:
• Bear fruit in every good work (v. 10)—The Lord desires that our actions bring Him glory. We all seem to be very busy, but the amount of work isn’t what matters. Instead, we must be sure that the things we do are eternally valuable.
• Grow in the knowledge of God (v. 10)—The apostle’s request is not merely for believers to gain facts regarding Christ. He speaks of a deeper understanding in the heart.
• Be strengthened according to His power (v. 11)—Having endurance and focus in the midst of life’s trials requires God’s strength. Our own simply isn’t enough.
• Walk in gratitude (v. 12)—When we realize where all good gifts originate, we live with thankfulness. Contentment and joy come from a grateful heart, not our circumstances.
Life is busy, so prayer often gets squeezed out of our schedules. We must always remember that lifting our loved ones before God’s throne is far more important than any other task.
