On Tuesday the staff of WSCC gathered for a retreat at the Chiara Center on the outskirts of Springfield. It was a great day. A number of things stuck with me from our time together, but one that stood out most was the need for all of us to be “devoted to prayer” (Colossians 4.2).
I try to pray regularly for all the small group leaders. I pray for your leadership and integrity. I pray for your faith to be ever-increasing. I pray that God protects you from the evil one. I pray for your families and work relationships. I pray for your ministry to your groups. When I’m made aware of special joys or sorrows or struggles I pray for you in those areas. I do my best to pray regularly for you by name. I’m convinced that our minsitry is only as effective as our devotion to prayer. And so when my buddy Gabe reminded me in his devotion that we need to be devoted to prayer, it struck me that it might be good for me to share with you the prayer I pray most often for you and for me.
When searching the scriptures I am often hit by the faithlessness of God’s people. So often I read the biblical accounts of God’s people at times when their faith has seemed to evaporate. I read of Jesus looking at his disciples in the boat and referring to them as “you of little faith.” I’m baffled that they just didn’t get it. Then I’m reminded of my own life. Of those times when I totally missed it. When I blew it. When my faith was miniscule. And then I’m reminded of the enormous grace of God, which grows my faith. And I’m reminded, when I search the scriptures, that God expects us to bear fruit. If we are connected to Him, then we will bear fruit, identified by the changes in our lives (Gal. 5.16-25) and by the lives we impact around us (John 15.1-15). And I’m convinced that our fruitfulness is to a large degree dependent on our faithfulness.
So my prayer – quite regularly – for you and for me – is that we be found both faithful and fruitful. Though the words are pretty simple to say, it’s really quite a powerful utterance. May God’s Spirit continue to work in you and in me, and may we continually yield to the Spirit, that we may be found increasingly faithful and fruitful for the remainder of our days.
