To Encourage You

Colossians 1:9 “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you . . . “

The Bible instructs Christians everywhere to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  So, what does this actually mean?  Does it mean we walk around with our eyes closed, stopping every few steps to get on our knees no matter where we are, and pray?  Obviously, that can’t be what this command means.  So, what does it mean? 

Well, as with the many other things the Bible says to us, the best way to interpret it is to compare it with itself.  In other words, where else does the Bible talk about unceasing prayer?  The verse above, which was written by the same person, Paul, who wrote the epistle to the Thessalonians, describes one form of unceasing prayer.  In this passage, “unceasing prayer” is consistent, frequent prayer for other believers.   In this passage, Paul gives us an example that we should follow in our prayer life. 

Perhaps it’s a good time to ask ourselves, “is there anyone we used to pray for that we haven’t prayed for in a very long time?” In other words, have we ceased to pray for them?  Maybe it’s a child or a grandchild, a sister or a brother, a parent, a coworker, or a neighbor that we used to pray for, but because that person has demonstrated consistent unbelief or it seems that none of our prayers have been answered, we’ve given up. We’ve moved on to other people that it seems are more worthwhile to pray for.  Or maybe it’s someone who had an urgent need in their lives at one point, but now things are going well for them, so we seldom pray for them. Maybe we moved to a new location, work situation, or church, and because we’re no longer around our old neighbors, coworkers, or church members, we have neglected to pray for them. 

It’s interesting to note that Paul had never even visited the Colossian church when he wrote the words above. He had only heard about them.  But from that moment on he had not ceased to pray for them.  And in the following words from Colossians, we see one of the most beautiful prayers that has ever been prayed for anyone.  We see that Paul longed for this church to “be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:9-12). 

What a wonderful thing for someone to pray.  If you know Christ, it is these things that you would long for others to pray for you – day in and day out, unceasingly.  And what a wonderful reminder the Holy Spirit has given us, through Paul, that each and every one of us who knows Christ can be a person that prays unceasingly for those God has placed in our lives in one way or at one time or another. 

Maybe this is a good time to ask the Lord to bring back to our minds someone that we’ve ceased to pray for, and then rejoin our efforts to “pray without ceasing” for them.