Continue Steadfastly

Col.4:5-6

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

 

As Paul closes his letter to the Colossians, he reminds them to pray. They are to continue steadfastly, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. How important was this command for the Colossians and is for believers today! It was the necessary foundation for all else the Colossians were to do and likewise for me. Without a foundation of prayer, I am operating in my own strength. Trying to live right but constantly failing because I am ignoring the divine power source. Through prayer I can be watchful for any temptation blocking my path, and through thanksgiving I am ever grateful for God's sovereign plan in the small and large details of my life. When my life is in constant communication with the Father, I am seeking to please Him. His Spirit is there to guide me and lead me in the right paths.

 

Paul asks the Colossians to pray for Him as they are continuing steadfastly. He specifically wants them to pray that a door will be opened for the Word and that he would make the message clear. His burden was for the spread of the gospel of Christ and not for his comfort in prison. It makes me wonder how much I pray for other believers. Am I praying for their underlying spiritual goals or just for the physical details of this life? What about my life? Is my concern for the spread of the gospel as strong as it is for the physical details of my life?

 

With prayer in place, the Colossians could walk in wisdom toward outsiders. They like Paul could be searching for opportunities to share the gospel. Walking wisely is essential because it affects my opportunities to share, and it affects the believability of what I say. Prayer opens my eyes to the needs of others and results in my wisdom in my sharing the gospel. I need to make the best use of the time, not wasting opportunities to share but boldly speaking out for Christ. When these attempts are bathed in prayer, then the Spirit will guide me in what I should say. Paul then gives an essential principle:Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt...Sharing the gospel is not done with a hammer, but instead with grace and through grace. Having such speech as this needs to be a matter of prayer as well. I need the divine energy source teaching me how I should answer every person.

 

But all this instruction is worth nothing if I am not burdened to share the gospel or if I am not making this a matter of prayer. It is in prayer that I ask the Father to open my eyes to the opportunities to share, and it is through prayer that my heart will be united with God in the growing of His kingdom.

 

Father,

I confess my burden to share and my praying about sharing has been sadly lacking. Open my eyes to the opportunities that you have for me. Grow within me this burden for the souls of others.

In His name,

Amen