Day 9: 31 Days in Prayer

Day 9: 31 Days in Prayer

Verse:

Epaphras sends greetings to you; he is one of your own, a servant of Christ Jesus, who is always wrestling in prayer for you, so that you may stand firm, as those who are mature and fully convinced in everything God wills. (Kol 4:12 - TB)

Reflection:

Little is known about Epaphras. What I find interesting about Epaphras is what Paul said to the church in Colossae. Paul wrote that "he is always wrestling in prayer for you." The word translated as “wrestling” is ἀγωνίζομαι, which means striving with intense earnestness. In my view, this can be pictured like athletes in their sport. They train their bodies to the limit of their strength and strive with everything they have to achieve victory. This is the kind of prayer Epaphras was offering to God. He "always" prayed with this kind of fervor for the church so that they could stand firm. Most of my prayers are centered on myself. I pray that God may use me each day. I pray that my walk with God will grow deeper. I pray for the difficult situations I face. These are important things to pray about, but I have limited my prayer life when I pray only for myself. Epaphras prayed fervently for his brothers and sisters in the faith. When was the last time your prayer for others could be described as striving with fervor like Epaphras? This is a call for us to wake up again, and it is a challenge for all of us. James 5 commands us to pray for one another so that we may be healed. As Christians, we must pray for one another.

Challenge:

Take time in your prayers to God to pray for the Christians around you. Pray with the fervor spoken of in Epaphras. Follow his example and pour out your heart to the Lord for your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Translated from the article “31 Days of Prayer: Day 9” by Jonathan Drabot