We often drop to our knees with a petition to God. A lot of the times it's just to roll our burdens upon God. There is much more to prayer than a passionate plea for God to intervene. Paul often spoke intriguing prayers. We find one of them in Colossians 1:9-12:
(9)For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
(10)that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
(11)strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy;
(12)giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
In this prayer, Paul covers 7 areas of our lives that needs a daily touch of God. We have reached the last part the Paul's prayer in this wonderful prayer.
The last part of Paul's prayer that I want to discuss is in verse 12. It says "giving thanks to the Father." Let's take time out of our busy lives to give thanks to Him for not only the large things or things that we need (our salvation, health, family, food to eat, etc.), but also the little everyday things that may slip our minds or luxuries that we have (a soft bed to sleep in, the ability to walk to the mailbox, that special pet that makes you smile, the new tech gadget, etc.) Our love for Him should run so deep that we can't help but give glory and honor to Him, and thank Him graciously.
I have truly fell in love with this prayer. I have two sons, ages 19 and 11, that I have started praying this prayer over them. I mean who wouldn't want these things for their children or loved ones?
I hope you have enjoyed this series as much as I have. I have truly enjoyed reading your comments. I praying blessings to each of you in 2012.
I love this song...turn up your volume and enjoy.
I agree, we should constantly be in a thankful mindset. We are so blessed to live in America with all it's modern conveniences!
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking the other day how we take for granted to be able to go to church on Sunday without fear of being killed. We should be thankful for that!
Wonderful message!
ReplyDeleteGod bless!
What a lovely message. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBrandi
via Etsy Blog Team
A good reminder to be thankful. We really do have so much to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteWe have this portion of scripture broken down into the 7 weekdays and pray a snippet each day for our leaders (as the Lords instructs us to in 1 Timothy)
ReplyDeleteGreat post...I'm getting ready to read One Thousand Gifts and this reminded me of it.
ReplyDelete"That special pet that makes you smile..." Yes! Let us be thankful for both big and little things—and they'd all be big things if we suddenly lost them. Hardly a day goes by without me praying aloud as I pet my faithful feline companion, "I thank God for you, kitty!"
ReplyDeleteI lost my two oldest brothers to plane crashes and my Dad to liver cancer early in life. It's a tough lesson in gratitude, but a lesson I won't ever forget.
Loss is a hard lesson to learn, but it is a powerful lesson too.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful that everyone has enjoyed this series.It is a wonderful prayer that we should not only pray over our own lives but others as well.