Commitment to Informed Prayer

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;” (Col 1:9 AV)

A lot should be, and could be, said about prayer.  Prayer is one of the most underutilized exercise of Christian faith and duty.  To have a conversation with God regarding others is something sinfully neglected in today’s Christian churches.  Prayer is seen as a boring topic.  Paul is as effective as he is because his prayer for this church and others is consistent and fervent.  If we are wondering why the church seems to be without power in today’s world, perhaps it starts with prayer.  Prayer is not exercised to inform God.  God already knows every detail of our situation and every possible action He will take.  We know prayer changes things.  We have not because we ask not.  This means if we ask, then we will have.  Prayer does change what God will or will not do.  But prayer accomplishes far more than simply asking and receiving.  As I said, God knows all things.  We do not need to explain to Him the situation as we see it. He already knows.  Prayer, more than anything else, is for the saint.  The saint is changed in the process of prayer.  His will becomes God’s will.  He must exercise dependence and humility.  The saint must come to a holy God and confess sin.  God is not changed in character or substance.  But the saint is.  Perhaps this is why we do not pray as we should.

In our text, Paul states he does not cease to pray for the church at Colossae.  One has to wonder how many times have said the same thing and didn’t really mean it.  We sit and listen to someone’s troubles.  We are very familiar with them.  We know every detail.  We love them more than they could ever know.  Yet, we say, “I am praying for you.” In reality, unless they are front and center in our minds, we do not.  The Colossian church was a faithful church.  They faced many adversities and overcame them with the blood of Christ.  In large part, because Paul and others were praying for them.  Part of our devotional life is prayer.  In fact, it is just as important as reading and journaling.  If all we do is read and journal, our relationship is one-sided.  We listen to the Holy Spirit and take comfort in the voice of God.  Because He speaks to us, our worth is affirmed.  We feel accepted in the beloved.  But many are like that little child who will soak up attention from Mom or Dad but won’t sit down long enough to have a conversation.  They are too busy or find sitting with a parent as a chore.  Mom and Dad ache for a moment with their child.  They are starving for the love that only a small and fragile soul can give them.

Note that Paul prefaces his statement regarding unceasing prayer with the church at Colossae as having a cause.  He is not praying merely because their name is on a prayer list.  He is not lifting them up in prayer because every Tuesday he prays for the churches he started.  He prayed because there was a cause.  He prayed because they needed his prayers and not because he was supposed to.  Perhaps there were specifics to his prayers.  Perhaps the church had needs unique to them.  This means Paul was informed.  The church was not just another church like any other.  This church was a church Paul knew intimately and knew exactly what needed prayer.  There was a cause.  If we are to see God’s power through prayer, our prayer needs to be informed, targeted, urgent, and consistent.  The LORD can use us again to change the world and prayer is the missing ingredient.