“Knowing Christ is the best thing that has ever happened to me, although winning the US Open was a pretty good second.”
How to pray
I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. Ephesians 1:16It is so easy for churches to get into a groove with regard to prayer. There will be a list of the sick and needy, certain key events in the church calendar and other special projects. There will be organizational matters people to fill all the roles required, meeting the budget etc.
Look how Paul goes straight to the heart of the matter when he prays (verses 17 and 18) “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.”
Paul prays that the Ephesian Christians would know God better – through God’s wisdom and revelation. In verse 18 he prays that they “may know the hope to which God has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” There is so much content in the prayer. We so often pray “God bless Sally” and “Be with John”. Let us try to pray in a more Pauline way and pray for each other to know God better, to experience His riches
And finally, let us pray thankfully. This requires an attitude of mind to look at life with thanksgiving rather than negatively. Let’s do it.