Listen

Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, this is the reason that I don’t stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength.

Ephesians 1:15-19

Think

One of my spiritual practices involves praying with a trustworthy friend. I cherish the shared accountability and always look forward to the time of holy listening and encouragement. I highly recommend the practice.

I do, however, caution against praying for outcomes only. You know what I’m talking about. “Lord make this happen for my friend, do this, not that, oh and here’s the deadline we’re working with, Lord, please and thank you, Amen.” — sound familiar? I confess I do it often.

While I am not completely discouraging those kinds of prayers, I am suggesting a different posture towards prayer. I wonder the kind of spiritual growth we might experience when, like in today’s passage, we pray for a “spirit of wisdom and revelation” for a dear friend. I wonder what may change when we pray for light, hope, and the overwhelming greatness of God rather than for specific events to work out exactly in the way we expect and in the time we want. It’s a different attitude towards prayer and, I suspect, a richer one, too. I want to try it. Do you?

Aram Bae

Pray

God, thank you for the friends who care for me. I pray, Lord, for a spirit of wisdom and revelation on behalf of my friends. You know them, you know their needs, and so I pray for your light, hope, and the overwhelming greatness of your power to surprise them and to change their lives. Amen.

Go

May Jesus the Christ bless you and keep you.

May Jesus the Christ smile upon you and be gracious towards you.

And may Jesus the Christ lead you on this day in the path of wisdom and peace.

And all of God’s people said,

Amen.