THE PRAYER FOR a church that pleases God

We often think about what we want to get out of church; but do you ever wonder what God wants us to get out of it?

Paul’s prayers for the New Testament churches help us find out God’s desires for His people. His prayer for the Colossian church was for them to “live a life worthy of the Lord, being fully pleasing to Him.” They weren’t just to please themselves and fulfil their own agenda; Paul prayed that they would be good representatives of God in their part of the world.

He prayed that they would have an in-depth understanding of God’s purposes so that they would grow in their relationship with Him and bear His good fruit.

The church does not exist for itself. We have the task of being God’s ambassadors where we have been placed; and He wants us to represent Him well. But we can’t do it in our own strength. That’s why Paul prayed the church would be “strengthened with all power”. For the strength we need is only found in the One who fills us with Himself.

As we pray for endurance and experience God’s strengthening, Paul writes that joyful thanks will surely follow. We will discover church is the place where we become steadfast and firm as His ambassadors.