Food for Thought
My NLT translation entitles verses two through six of Paul’s Letter to the Colossians Chapter four as: “An encouragement for prayer” and it certainly is that. Verse two says “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”
I find the next two verses three and four particularly interesting and challenging. “Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.”
Note first that the reason he is in chains is because he has been taking opportunities to speak about Christ, yet he is asking his readers to pray for even more opportunities that may affect his well being even further!
I know that over the years there have been opportunities to share my faith that I have not made the most of. Verses five and six encourage us to live our lives and speak in such a way that our witness will be attractive and in so doing make the most of opportunities that come our way. “Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”
Church growth, and new believer growth, is in short supply these days. The Barna study group tells us that many would actually attend a church if personally invited. As I read over our directory I am amazed at the number of people who have become part of our church family because someone invited them. Of course church attendance is not the ultimate goal. Understanding the plan of salvation, accepting Christ as Savior and determining to live for him is. But the point is that opportunities that are made the most of can eventually translate into genuine kingdom growth.
This being the case, if we are concerned about the lost should we too not receive Paul’s urging to pray for opportunities and do our best to make the most of them?
Pastor Dave