In one way or the other, we have all been in a position like this. A position where our heart goes out to someone and yet, we feel helpless – like there is nothing we can do. We rack our brains while we are pouring out our deepest sympathies but we can’t find it – we can’t seem to grab onto anything that we can do or say to help them or make them feel better. It’s a helpless feeling. But then we say it…”You will be in my prayers.”

And then we think to ourselves, “Is that really the best I can do?” It just seems so cliché. It seems that if I say that I’m going to pray for them – I’m not really helping them – I’m just praying. Surely I can find something better to do. I feel so guilty.

Don’t ever feel guilty for saying to someone, “you will be in my prayers.” That’s the best place you could put them. The reason: In God’s hands is the best place to be and it’s the very best place to put the people we love. It’s a precious thing to be able to pray. It is a very precious thing to hear the prayers of others for us. It was a precious thing for the Colossians to hear that St. Paul was praying for them. “We do not cease to pray for you,” says St. Paul … asking that you may be filled with an ever-growing knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may conduct yourselves worthily of the Lord, and in such a way as to be altogether pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the fuller knowledge of God.”

It may be said that this passage teaches us more about the essence of prayer requests than almost any other passage in the New Testament. From it we learn that prayer makes two great requests: First, it asks for the discernment of God’s will. Second, it asks for the power to perform that will.

Prayer is what St. Paul promised to the people that he loves. Prayer is what we have for the people we love as well. Prayer begins by asking that we may be filled with an ever-growing knowledge of the will of God. The great object of prayer is to know the will of God. In prayer we are not so much trying to make God listen to us, as we are trying to make ourselves listen to God; in prayer we are not trying to persuade God to do what we want Him to do, we are trying to find out what He wants us to do. Sometimes we think prayer is about saying to God, “Your will be changed, Lord, by my words to you.” In all reality we are saying in prayer, “Your will BE DONE.” God’s will is over our will every day of the week. With this in mind, it would be very good to remember prayer is not so much to speak to God, as it is to listen to God. God does answer – according to His will.

When Paul prayed for the Colossians, he prayed not for physical blessings – that they may have more things – get rich quick – have bigger churches. Rather, Paul prayed for knowledge and spiritual wisdom. Remember how King Solomon prayed for wisdom to rule his kingdom rather than earthly riches. The Lord blessed him because he sought after ways to be a better king for his people and not a bigger/richer king for himself. When Paul prays that his friends may have wisdom and understanding, he is praying that they may understand the great truths of Christians, and that they may be able to apply these truths to the tasks and decisions which meet them in everyday living. Isn’t that what we all want – to be able to apply God’s truths to our every day living? What a blessing it would be to have understanding in our lives. What a relief it would be to have the wisdom to know that God is not done with us and to know the reasons why we go through what we go through. Applying God’s wisdom and understanding is not easy. At times we fail.

For example, a man can quite easily be a master of theology and have great knowledge of the Bible, what God demands and what God has done, but at the same time, be a failure at living. He may be able to write and talk about the great eternal truths, and yet be quite helpless to apply these truths to the things which meet him every day. We as Christians must know what Christianity means – living out the Christian life. The reason: because we live life – we don’t just talk about it. We are in the business of living from day to day. So how can we hear about what God wants for us and apply it to our lives?

For this reason Paul says, “…So that you may conduct yourselves worthily of the Lord, and in such a way as to be altogether pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the fuller knowledge of God.” The knowledge of God will, the wisdom that we ask for – issues the right conduct. Paul prays that his friends may conduct themselves in such a way as to please God. There is nothing in this world so practical as prayer. Prayer is not an escape from reality. Prayer is not a secluded meditation on, and communion with, God. Prayer and action go hand in hand. We pray not in order to escape, but in order to better able to meet life. We pray, not in order to withdraw ourselves from life, but in order to live life in the world as people ought to live.

And prayer goes before us. We pray not so that we can put it in God’s hands and then take it easy. We pray so that we can be enabled to live as people of God, for God in His service – looking for opportunities. Have you lived life like that? Have you lived “looking” for opportunities to put the wisdom and the knowledge you have been given by God into action? Living a life of prayer in the Lord is living in His service. Remember, in prayer we are not so much trying to dictate the will of God to be our will, but to listen to God’s will and have His will be ours. The Lord will remain in control over those things that trouble us. He will remain in control over the pain and suffering of the world. We ask that He help to put us into action over such things and work to help others who may need our help on life.

This example was made perfect for us in the life and death of our Lord Jesus. He was the will of God made flesh. He was the will of God put into action for us. His will took place on the cross when death came over God so that a life of forgiveness and service could be ours. We communicate to a Lord who not only hears us, but puts us into action because He was put into action for us. God’s will has been done, and it saved us from eternal death so that we can live in Heaven with our Lord forever.

As you are there at the door of the church and all you can say to that life long friend is, “I’m praying for you.” Don’t ever feel as if that is the “least” you could do. That’s the most and the best you could ever do. What might follow is service – but through prayer we are strengthened to follow through as Christians who love one another because Jesus loved us first. And if all you really can do is pray – that’s enough – and that’s everything. Pray for wisdom. Pray for knowledge. Pray for strength. This is what the Lord gives freely. It’s what He promises to you. Amen

The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen