Praying Season

Even though the temperature got up to 95 today, we are in the Fall season.  Eventually the weather will cool down (won't it?) and we'll go from sweltering hot to sweater weather.  I've always liked the change of seasons from summer to fall.  The weather cools down, football starts up, things change color, and the baseball playoffs get serious!  Go Dodgers!

As I think about seasons, Ephesians 6:18 comes to mind.  It says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and alwayskeep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” I love the Apostle Paul's admonition to the church to pray for the Lord's people, to pray for each other. The Greek word for "always" used in this verse literally means "in every season." So Paul is saying, pray for each other in every season.

Recently, a friend told me that he was advised by an older, seasoned pastor, that the most important thing in ministry is to pray for other people and to have other people pray for you. What great advice and yet how difficult that can be! When I pray, I often find myself praying for the things I'm going through, praying for what I want God to do in me, praying for the things that concern me. Maybe you do too! And it's important to pray for ourselves and our needs. Philippians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."  But, we can see from Paul's words in Ephesians, there's a balance between praying for ourselves and praying for others.

I think God changes us, He changes our hearts when we prioritize the needs of others and lift each other up to Him. Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ." Bearing means helping, shouldering, and, in many cases, interceding for each other. This is what Jesus intended for His people, to love, support, and pray for one another. So whether it's fall, winter, spring, or summer, whether it's baseball season or football season, whether it's 95 degrees or 65 degrees, let us intercede for each other. Make it a priority to pray for others, know what their needs are, and share your requests with others, and have them pray for you. In this way, we help fulfill the law of Christ in every season.

God bless,
Pastor Darren