Word@Work Eph12 - Ephesians 1:18-19a
Published: Mon, 10/13/08
Word@Work from BeaconLight
VISIONARY PRAYING
Read Ephesians 1:18-19a I pray also 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 the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (NIV)
There is a little ditty about prisoners' vision: "Two men stared out through prison bars, one saw mud, the other, stars". Where we look, determines much of our state of minds and confidence for the future. Much C21st praying is obsessed with mud ... and there is a lot of it, if you want to dredge for it! But that was never the Apostle's approach to living or praying (by the way, where you look sets the frame for your prayer life too).
Despite many problems, Paul wanted the believers to focus on the joy that was to come, as Jesus did (Hebrews 12:2b-3). As with driving, where you refuse to focus on the kerb (if you do your drive will be all over the place!), and set your sights on the distance: so the Christian life is best lived with heaven in view. That is the Christian's hope. All the near-points can be calibrated from the straight line between the cross and the glory. There is no doubt in Scripture that God has called us to something infinitely greater than anything we experience now. We will receive the fullness of His pleasure of us, and he will receive us ... to His great pleasure! It will only be possible because of God's extraordinary and unique power - both on the cross and in our lives.
As all this is only possible through God's provision and power, we need to pray for each other, that we will keep on holding onto the long view, and not be mesmerised by the incidental details along the way: not that they have no significance, but they can easily distract us. So, setting our sights on the Lord in His glory, will definitely reshape our prayer life. And we should want to pray that our Christian friends and colleagues will let God reshape their goals too ... as we pray for them.
Prayer: Father God. Please help me to set my vision on Jesus in glory and not be so sidetracked by the little inconveniences of every day. I need You to do this work in my life and I pray that You will do the same for my friends who are in the race with me. In Christ's Name. Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
There is a little ditty about prisoners' vision: "Two men stared out through prison bars, one saw mud, the other, stars". Where we look, determines much of our state of minds and confidence for the future. Much C21st praying is obsessed with mud ... and there is a lot of it, if you want to dredge for it! But that was never the Apostle's approach to living or praying (by the way, where you look sets the frame for your prayer life too).
Despite many problems, Paul wanted the believers to focus on the joy that was to come, as Jesus did (Hebrews 12:2b-3). As with driving, where you refuse to focus on the kerb (if you do your drive will be all over the place!), and set your sights on the distance: so the Christian life is best lived with heaven in view. That is the Christian's hope. All the near-points can be calibrated from the straight line between the cross and the glory. There is no doubt in Scripture that God has called us to something infinitely greater than anything we experience now. We will receive the fullness of His pleasure of us, and he will receive us ... to His great pleasure! It will only be possible because of God's extraordinary and unique power - both on the cross and in our lives.
As all this is only possible through God's provision and power, we need to pray for each other, that we will keep on holding onto the long view, and not be mesmerised by the incidental details along the way: not that they have no significance, but they can easily distract us. So, setting our sights on the Lord in His glory, will definitely reshape our prayer life. And we should want to pray that our Christian friends and colleagues will let God reshape their goals too ... as we pray for them.
Prayer: Father God. Please help me to set my vision on Jesus in glory and not be so sidetracked by the little inconveniences of every day. I need You to do this work in my life and I pray that You will do the same for my friends who are in the race with me. In Christ's Name. Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
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