PRAYING LIKE PAUL

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being - Ephesians 3:14-16

I've always pictured the Apostle Paul as a balding middle-aged man, about 150cm tall with grey hair and a moustache. A no-nonsense, tell-it-as-it-is kind of person. The type of person to tell you the truth in plain terms when people try to sugarcoat it.

While I still hold on to that image, I also believe he was very loving. I can tell that underneath the dragon spitting holy fire everywhere was a man who truly cared about the people God had entrusted him with. An exterior of zeal and passion and a heart overflowing with love for God and His Church.

The epistles have a formula. There's a salutation where the writer introduces himself, his recipient, the purpose of writing and greets them. There's the main body then farewell greetings. This follows the Greco-Roman pattern that was used in the culture of that time.

Glancing through the introduction, it is very easy to spot the prayers the apostles prayed for the recipient church, which is the distinguishing factor of the apostolic letters from secular letters.

With only a few exceptions, he never passed the opportunity to praise the recipient church on their strengths and let them know that he, a patriarch of faith was praying for them. So you can tell how pissed he was about the Galatian church for him to go straight from greetings to breaking tables.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- Galatians 1:3-6 NIV

You can tell that he is a shepherd indeed from the way he knows their strengths and weaknesses. The way he praises them and the occasions where he calls them to do better. It is always a delight to read the epistles of Apostle Paul, especially at the beginning when he offers prayers for the recipient church

He was thankful to God for them because of their;

1. Love for other believers

2. Faith in Christ

3. Abundance of their spiritual giftings

4. Growth

5. Generosity

6. Partnership in the gospel

For most of the times I've been thankful for others, it's been because of something they did or did not do. To see the Apostle love and appreciate the fact that people were growing more and more was something that made me sombre. I pray for physical, temporary things but Paul prays for eternal things.

Two keywords used were "always", and "remember".

His prayers for the church were incessant, it was always. In his own words, "I have not stopped giving thanks for you". Not for himself but for them. In the place of prayer, he remembered them, he remembered the things they were doing so well and prayed that God would strengthen them to do more. Oh, to love the Body like Christ did and to pray for her like Paul did.

He prayed that;

"the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people" - Ephesians 1:18

"We continually asked God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives"- Gal 1:9b

"that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and every deed prompted by faith". - 2 Thess 1:11

So here's a new resolution we can all make. To become selfless and less materialistic in our requests and intercessions. Remembering others always in our prayers. Praying the heart and will of God over them.

To pray for others like Paul did.