This past Sunday Delores Farlin put the
following Martin Luther quote in our church bulletin to help us focus upon the
importance of prayer: “More work is done by prayer than by work itself.
Hours with God make minutes with [others] effective.”
I
am convinced by the truth of this quote both by the teaching of the Bible and
by experience. Regarding the Bible, consider Jesus’ words in John 15:5-7: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in
him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing….
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you
wish, and it will be done for you.” It is only as we trust in Jesus
Christ that we can do anything of eternal significance and much of this comes
through prayer. This is also made clear in John 15:16, as Jesus sets forth the
two parallel purposes for calling his disciples: “You did not choose me, but I
chose you and appointed you in order that you should go and bear fruit and that
your fruit should abide, in order that whatever you ask the Father in my name,
he would give it to you” (My own translation). Jesus has chosen us to bear
fruit and to pray. I also take this statement to mean that part of the way to
bear fruit is by praying. God’s work, in other words, comes about through
prayer.
Since it is true that more effective work is done when we pray, how
might we pray that God can and will do his work through us? Let me draw your
attention to Colossians 4:2-6 as a guide:
Continue
steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 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— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to
speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders,
making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with
salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Not only does Paul call us to continual and
persistent prayer, but suggests nine powerful requests to pray:
1. Ask God to
help you and others to watch for how you can express Christ’s love and bear
testimony to him: “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it….”
2. As you see
God work, give thanks to him, for this not only honors him, but also directs your
heart to keep pursuing his good gifts: “with thanksgiving.”
3. Ask God to
give you and others opportunities to tell others about Jesus: “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.”
4. Ask God to
help you and others to make the gospel clear to others so they can understand it
and pray that others will understand it: “that I may
make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”
5. Ask God to help you and others
operate in wisdom (that is, with godly skill) toward people who are not
Christians as we interact with them: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders….”
6. Ask God to help you and others,
in the midst of our busy schedules, to make good use of time as we interact
with people—that we would be effective and fruitful in our relationships: “making
the best use of the time.”
7. Ask God to help you and others to
have hearts that produce speech and conduct that oozes with God’s unmerited,
saving, transforming power and grace—speech and conduct that builds others up
in Christ: “Let your speech always be gracious….”
8. Ask God to help you and others to
make others thirsty for Jesus Christ as you work with them, recreate with them,
eat with them, interact with them, and meet them in passing: “Let your speech
always be… seasoned with salt….”
9. Ask God to help you and others to
know how to interact with all kinds of people so that they might be interested
in and drawn to Jesus Christ.
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