Prayer that is Steadfast, Watchful, Thankful, for the Impossible
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Colossians 4:2–4 ESV Read More
What a way to pray when you put a word like WATCHFUL with it! Pray like company is about to show up from out of town and they don’t have a cell phone to call and let you know they’ll be there in 5 minutes. Pray like you heard a crash out behind the garage and you just turned on all of your backyard lights. Pray like Shaun White waiting for the judges’ results to come up on that board at the end of your third run!
It’s easy to turn prayer into a rambling conversation with ourselves. That is not how Paul describes it. Paul describes it as a conversation with God filled with expectation, thanksgiving, and requests for hopelessly impossible breakthroughs.
Steadfastly praying means not backing down when we get news that goes against what we are praying for. When we are praying for A but B happens, that is a chance to ask God how to change directions. When we ask, we ask Him steadfastly, watchful, and with thanksgiving. It’s not a disrespectful “What the heck, God?” but instead an “Ok Lord, thanks for your help, show me prayer plan B.”
Also look at what Paul is asking them to pray for: that God would open a door for Paul and his entourage so they can preach the Gospel. He asks for that from prison! He’s not just praying to get out of jail. Beyond being released he is praying that he’d be able to continue to preach and that people would respond. This is not just praying that a lame person would walk, but that they would run a 5K.
Steadfast, watchful, thankful prayer that is humble before God isn’t afraid of what happens if God doesn’t answer. That kind of prayer lays requests before our Father in heaven and surrenders to His answers. How glorious it is, though, when we make a ridiculous ask and God responds! That’s part of being steadfast and thankful. Sure, God doesn’t answer plenty of times, but we won’t let that knock us back or give up.
Watchful and thankful means that we are always looking for a chance to bring God into the picture to deliver. We are always looking for God to answer our prayers and show off. We are always looking for a new way to pray and bring new things before Jesus’ throne.
Finally, if you can’t find anything to pray for, start with the things that the Bible says to pray for, like this very passage. Pray it for all of the leaders in our church and other church leaders. Pray it for Bret as he prepares for the weekend and for Bob as he travels the world with the GLS and all of your campus pastors. Pray it for those epic teachers working with NextGen and the nursery.
Steadfast
Watchful
Thankful
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