… remembering you in my prayers.
Summary: In this passage, Paul makes note that he remembers the Ephesians in his prayers. Why God listens to Paul’s prayers and why it helps Paul to pray are both interesting topics to examine.
When we pray, we talk with God. Sometimes it feels like we are talking at God, but I can assure you that God hears us. Whether he listens to us is another matter.
Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me! (Psalm 66: 16-20)
The psalmist gives us an important clue to effective prayer. If we cherish sin in our hearts, God does not listen.
Once again, we are confronted with the need to know what the word “sin” means. In this case, the psalmist used a Hebrew word that means “wickedness.” For simplicity’s sake, a quick definition of “wickedness” can be found by reading the list of things to avoid given to Moses on Mt. Sinai:
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
(Exodus 20: 13-17)
When we pray, it is good to begin with a self-check. Is my heart right before God? If the answer is yes, then we can be confident God will not only hear our prayer, but listen and respond (Proverbs 15:29, James 5:16, 1 Peter 3:12).
When we pray for our brothers and sister in Christ, we add our voice to theirs. When we remember them in prayer, several good things happen. One is that we unburden ourselves before God. We know we can trust God to meet our needs and theirs (Matthew 6:8). Another good thing is that we are spiritually fellowshipping with our brother or sister (1 Corinthians 5: 3-5). Third, is that the fellowship keeps our friends and relations fresh in our minds.
When Paul prayed for the believers at Ephesus, he was reminded of the people there. He fellowshipped with them spiritually, and he brought his concerns for them before God. What a great use of time!
Application: Remember your brothers and sisters in Christ in prayer.
Food for Thought: What other benefits are there when we remember each other in prayer?
Prayer has many purposes – and it is effective, putting God’s power to work (James 5: 16).
When we pray for those who are hurting we are sharing in their hurt. Those who suffer for their faith around the globe – the persecuted church – often say they covet our prayers. It is an encouragement to know that their brothers and sisters in Christ care and our praying. It is a way to honor the Lord by loving one another and we are commanded to do so ( Hebrews 13: 3).
Thank you, Rich!
To be encouraged in hope is to be strengthened in our faith. Excellent!
What other benefits are there when we remember each other in prayer?
It brings us back to the greatest command to love God and to love your neighbor (others) . You are praying for eachother. If they are praying you are lifting up those prayers, whenever 2 or more are gathered ( possibly prayer to God omnipresent ) God will be there.
Sorry I can’t remember exactly what scriptures and if I’m even close to what I’m trying to say. But I did ask my beautiful wife a little about it.
T&A,
Great point! Thank you! To pray for each other is an expression of love. Well said!