"Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28
It takes a lot of humility to ask for prayer, especially from someone younger in the Lord.
Although Paul was a church planter and missionary, and never lost sight of his responsibility before the Lord for those he served, his conclusion here is a beautiful example of humility. He sees the Thessalonians as brothers, and asks for their prayers.
If you are in ministry, hear in this the challenge to ask for prayer from others. Who is praying for you as you preach, teach, evangelize, minister a cup of cold water in His name? Build a prayer team and keep them informed with how to pray for you!
This example of humility is a dual reminder: In any ministry situation we should always have prayer support from others -- and we should always remember to pray for those who minister to us. Our pastors, elders, deacons, teachers - all desperately need our prayers. In Paul's request I hear their words: "Pray for us." You can bet that any leader worth his or her salt is praying for you. Let's be sure to pray for them as well!
"Brothers, pray for us." Prayer connects us across the miles, builds deep relationships, and has eternal results. Let's not miss out on that!
No comments:
Post a Comment