Do you ever have those “Aha!” moments in your life? God blesses me with more than my share of those moments because of the work I get to do with teens. It never ceases to amaze me when I see a teenager understand what God wants them to do in their lives. It never ceases to cut deep when my teens say something that hits me Right Square in the middle of my own complacency. Wednesday night was one of these moments for me.
Wednesday night I had two teenagers in my class. Circumstances were that some of the teens had to be out and, I understand that this is going to happen from time to time, but I was still a little sad that there were not more teens there. I was upset for a lot of reasons, probably the biggest reason I was upset was because we were beginning a new series on the book of Colossians. I decided I would go ahead and start the series with sharing some background as to how the letter was written and some of the themes in the book, I also decided we would only look at the greeting and thanksgiving portion of the letter.
Paul states that since the day he heard about the Colossians that he has not stopped praying for them (Col. 1:9a). One of the questions I asked the two that were there that evening was “Do you know of anyone who prays for you daily?” and the answer they both gave took my breath away they both said “You pray for us every day Paul.” It was a great moment! I knew in that moment that they knew I really cared about them. These are two that were still relatively young youth group members when I got here and two that had a good relationship with the previous youth minister (whom I also have a good relationship with) so I knew that when I got here three years ago that these two might be hard to win over.
As great as that moment it was it also served as a reminder to me to pray for the people I love every day. I need to work at it and get better at it, which is a pretty good definition of the Christian life in general. Today I will lave you with Paul’s word in Colossians and I hope they have the same effect on you that they had on me. I love you all!
Colossians 1:3-14
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our[c] behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul
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