Don’t you love listening to some people pray. I remember hearing one woman remark after someone prayed for her, “when she prays for you, you know you have been prayed for.” It seems some people know just how to formulate their prayers in the highest way, while many of us struggle searching for the right thoughts or words. One thing I am sure of though, God hears all prayers, both the elegant and the less-than-elegant. I think they are all filtered through the Holy Spirit anyway so that when they reach the throne of grace, they are just right.
I do love reading the prayers of Paul in his letters. He seems to know just what to ask for when he prays. There is an elegant prayer found in Ephesians 3. Since I’m focusing on that book to begin a study in September, I thought we’d look at Paul’s prayer over the next few days.
He begins: “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” [Ephesians 3:16-17]
One of the things we find in those glorious “inexhaustible” riches of Christ Jesus is strength and power “through His Spirit” in our inner being. Life drains us. The common stresses and frustrations of each day often leave us weakened, not just in body, but in our minds, wills and emotions. Our faith is assaulted constantly by our enemies—the world, our flesh and the devil. We would be totally defeated if not for the renewing, invigorating strength and power that is ours in the glorious riches of Christ Jesus.
As Paul prayed for the Ephesians, we must pray for each other. It’s not enough to simply ask that troubles be removed, we need to remember to pray for each other for the power and strength to live victorious lives in Christ Jesus.
