Who are you praying for? Who is praying for you?

Ephesians 1:15-19

¹⁵ Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, ¹⁶ I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, ¹⁷ asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. ¹⁸ I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

¹⁹ I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power

Who is there in your world that you pray for? And who is that that is praying for you? I’m not talking ‘arrow prayers’ that we shoot to God in an emergency or with a specific request (which are fine and necessary at times), I’m talking deep committed prayer that is like soaking rain that will help us and those we are praying for to put down deep roots in Christ. It is not easy to walk a life of Faith in Christ and we all need to be supported in prayer and in community. When we pray and see those we are praying for grow in their faith, our own faith also grows. In this passage, Paul is not praying for health and prosperity, he is praying with thankfulness for people’s hearts and minds, for wisdom, knowledge, hope and a greater sense of the greatness of God. With these we are much better equipped to face whatever life throws our way. So, I am going to ask again – who are you praying for? And who is praying for you? We can’t do this life in isolation. So, if your answer is ‘I’m not sure’ or ‘no one’ then it is time to position yourself so that there are people in your world who will do this for you and who you can pray for. If you are already praying then be encouraged, God is with you, and you are walking with the strength and faith of the believers behind you. 

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the saints who have come before and those who come behind. Show me how to pray and who to pray for, not just today but every day. Help me to be faithful in my prayers. I thank you that every day you surround me and my brothers and sisters in Christ with your great love. Amen

Written by Christine Knight