In verse 17, we read, “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him.” This is a beautiful prayer. It affirms the fact that the more we experience Jesus and incorporate the way of Jesus into our daily lives, the more we understand about ourselves, about the world, and about God. As followers of Jesus in our own time and place, we are playing a part in the arc of God’s unfolding story. We are a part of the ushering in of God’s kingdom here and now. It’s not just a future reality.
When you pray for others, what do your prayers include? Is it mostly for their physical needs and daily realities or do you remember to pray for spiritual wisdom? The verse that follows says, “…so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.” What do you think is the hope to which you have been called? How can you participate in enacting that hope?
Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for all the people who have prayed for you over the years and commit yourself to being someone else’s pray-er.