9-12Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. (The Message)
Paul starts out this letter reassuring the people that he is praying for them on a regular basis. What he ends up listing as his prayers is not a bad list for us to emulate. He prays that:
- they might be wise
- their spirits might be in tune with God's will
- they will live well for Jesus
- that they might have joyful perseverance.
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- How do you think the people felt when they heard that Paul prayed for them everyday?
- How would you feel if you knew someone was praying for you everyday?
- What would it take for you to organize your life and prayers in such a way that you could pray these same things for at least 3 different people during January?
- What 2 things might you add to Paul's list to pray for the 3 people you included in your list above?
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