GIVE US THIS DAY
Mark Edward Sudhir

For many years, I am praying for my brothers, Christians, students where I am teaching, my country, and myself. I felt I was fighting a forest fire with a garden hose. I prayed for immediate issues – like tests, illnesses or conflicts with each other. But bigger concerns for their emerging character had little prayer coverage. In reading through Paul’s letter to the early churches, I saw how he dared to pray “big prayers” about growing in godliness. Doing the same for my brothers and sisters, I realized, could better fight the spiritual fires they faced in growing up. Much like people in fire-prone areas protect their homes with wide perimeters of dirt of gravel, I could build a defensive ring around my brothers with character-focused prayers.

Studying the life of Hannah in 1st Samuel reminded me to pray  with long-range consequences. Hannah had daily influence on Samuel only until he was weaned. After that, he was raised in the temple, and she saw him only once a year. But every time she visited, she brought Samuel a new, bigger robe. I like to imagine that as she wove the fabric and then hand-stitched the garment, she prayed for her son to grow into a man of God.

I am praying for my brothers and students and even for myself to become men and women of God, I have turned to Scripture’s model prayers. Specially, from Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1;9-14, I have drawn seven petitions – one a day for Sunday through Saturday – to help me focus on my brethren’s growth in Christ likeness. Here is what I pray for:

Sunday: A GROWING FAITH AND PLACE OF MINISTRY
This request fits Paul’s petition to “live a life worthy of the Lord and… please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work” (Colossians 1:10). In each one of our lives ‘faith’ must increase and in fact should be strong, so then we can be able to spread our faith to others. Eventually ministry will grow. God has entrusted us with the great ministry (Matt 28-18-20),the accomplishment of this ministry must happen through us as we are His children and part taker of the expansion of His kingdom.

Monday: DELIGHT IN GOD’S WORD
Paul prayed that God would fill believers “with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (v.9). My prayers this day focus on my brethren to have a desire to read and apply the Scripture on their own and search out wise Bible teachers. I know a biblical worldview will equip them to reject the perversions gaining increasing publicity and endorsement in our culture. Heaven and Earth will pass away but not a single word of God will pass away, and all the word of God is yes and Amen. His word is powerful, sharper than two-edged sword.

Tuesday: PURITY AND FUTURE MATE
“Life worthy of the Lord” (v.10) includes purity in male/female relationships. Our participation with our children in “True Love Waits” covenants (and symbolic rings”) doesn’t ensure freedom from temptation, but I can pray that they will have “great endurance and patience” (v.11) as they stand against the immorality around them. Plus, I can pray for their future spouses to “live a life worthy of the Lord” (v.10) until they meet and realize that God ha s prepared for each another.

Wednesday: HEALTH AND SAFETY
This prayer of mine addresses their eating and sleeping habits. How they take care of their bodies as the temple of the Holy spirit can come under Paul’s prayer for “being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might’ (v.11). We need to think about our health too, because our body is the temple of God. In ministry maintaining our health and safety is very important. If we are not fit bodily, then how can we pre-ach to others as our God is a healer, and protector God.

Thursday: CAREER DIRECTION, VALUE SYSTEM
Most young people fine-tune (or even change) their career plans as they continue their education. Paul’s petitions for lives that “please (God) in every way’ (v.10) and bear fruit inform my prayer for my children’s career choices. Their classes may require “great endurance and patience’ (v.11), but I pray that they won’t lose sight of their goal of obtaining a God-honoring vocation. All are bothered about their career, what they are going to do in future, how their lives will be etc. give it in the hand of God and He will take care of it.

Friday: A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND A GREATFUL SPIRIT
I pray for my brethren to regard every day as a gift from God. Paul ends his prayer by reminding believers that God “has rescued us from the dominion of dark-ness and broug-ht us into the kingdom of the Son He loves’ (v.13). A positive attitude and a grateful spirit spring from remembering the gift of eternal life through Christ’s death (v.14). Negative attitudes drag others down and dishonor Christ. Positive attitude leads to success. God of the Bible is a positive attitude God, He never see things as negative. Every impossible things for us he sees as possible.

Saturday: TRUE, GODLY FRIENDS
On the weekend, when my brethren are more opt to spend time with friends, I pray that they will seek out other “saints in the kingdom of light’ (v.12). Their friends will significantly impact their faith, whether it will stagnate or grow. Offering this prayer allows God to bring in powerful friends and mentors. Many time friends circle also changed our life style, character and philosophy, so it is very important to have good and godly friends to influence us or we should have such friends to whom we can influence with our Christian character.