If you're like me, your prayers for others usually focus on health, jobs, and family.
You pray that God will heal John who has cancer, or provide a job for Chelsea, or bring reconciliation between Bob and Harriet.
The apostle Paul probably prayed for specific things like that, too. His letters certainly show he was aware of the everyday needs of his friends - like Timothy's stomach problems.
But Paul's prayers went far beyond that. He prayed for the eternal welfare of those he cherished - and he did so constantly.
And when he asked for prayer, it was for boldness in preaching the gospel. He never forgot why he was here - he was an ambassador for Christ who sought to reconcile men with God.
Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23 is an excellent example.
He begins by talking about the faith of the Ephesians and says he never stops thanking God for them. He declares that he prays constantly for them, asking God to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding so that they will get to know God better.
He doesn't stop there.
He continues with the theme of understanding, asking God to help them grasp the hope they have in Jesus Christ. He wants them to be confident believers, trusting God means what he says when he offers them eternal life.
Then, he asks the Lord to reveal to them how great is the power that raised Jesus from the dead, a power that is available to every believer.
In effect, he is asking God to transform the readers of the letter to the Ephesians into bold - and powerful - representatives of Christ.
Those are prayers God would love to answer. In fact, he did in Acts 4 when the believers prayed for boldness in preaching the gospel in the midst of persecution. In response to their prayer, God shook their place of prayer and the Spirit descended in power - and they preached boldly.
Sometimes, I lose sight of what is most important in my life. What comes first is God's mission in the world around me.
I need to pray like Paul.
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