Daily Devotions
Do Your Prayers Sound Like a Shopping List?
Do Your Prayers Sound Like a Shopping List?
Reading for September 14th: Ezekiel 46-48
Weekly reading for September 13-19: 2 Thess 1-3; 2-3 John
They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. To this end we always pray for you...
2 Thessalonians 1:9-11
One of the things that is so impressive to me about Paul's prayers is how spiritually focused they are. Unlike our prayers, which can tend to be more about finances, health, jobs, and other things related to this life, Paul's prayers tended to be about spiritual growth (Phil 1:9-11; Col 1:9-10), or about mission (Rom 15:30-32; Col 4:2-4), or about other God-ward purposes (2 Thess 1:11-12; Philemon 6). Compare your prayer this morning to what Paul prayed about in his. Can you tell a difference in priority?
Why did Paul pray as he did? I think we see the foundation of his prayers here. Paul says, "To this end we always pray for you," and so the things he was just talking about formed the framework of his prayer. What were they?
1. The eternal destruction of the wicked.
2. The coming of the Lord.
3. The glorification of Christ in his people.
4. The joy we will have in his presence upon his return.
Paul came at prayer from a different perspective, a worldview rooted in eternity and not in the trivialities of this life. If we want our prayers to be more spiritual, we need to "seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." (Col 3:1)
Father, we live on this earth but we don't want to be consumed by it's cares. Lift up our eyes on high and help us to see where our life truly is.
