Praying for an Open Door
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.
- Colossians 4:2-6
Writing from a prison cell in Rome, Paul urges his friends in Colossae to continue praying with thanksgiving and he asks them to pray for him also. While it might seem reasonable for Paul to request prayers for his release, he does not ask for that. He prays and asks them to join him praying that his physical restrictions will not hinder his ability to “declare the mystery of Christ.” From the time Paul encountered Christ Jesus on the road to Damascus, he never waivered from his purpose. He focused completely on the mission of clearly revealing the good news of Christ Jesus to everyone, and he prays that something as small as prison walls will not hinder his mission.
Paul’s prayer nudges me to I think about my life. I have the freedom to travel and to communicate instantaneously with friends around the globe. What prevents me from joining God’s great mission as I live my life each day? Paul prays that prison walls will not block his mission. What stops me?
As I pondered Paul’s prayer, through God’s holy word, two seemingly unrelated events collided. First, I had the remarkable privilege of hearing pastor Gustavo Faleiro of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, speak about our individual and collective call to communicate God’s awesomeness, His glory, to others through our lives. Gustavo recently returned to Rio, his home, after serving for years in Paris, France, and he spoke about the challenges of presenting God and His holy message to people molded by a deeply secular society that is, in many respects, hostile to Christianity. By building relationships, and demonstrating his trustworthiness and genuine concern, he was gradually able to reveal the mystery of Christ Jesus to his skeptical friends.
The messages race through my mind and collide. I ponder (i) Paul’s prayer, (ii) Gustavo’s struggles and success building relationships and revealing Christ Jesus in a secularized society, (iii) the expansion of “Nones” in our society, (iv) struggling to translate God’s holy word in light of the world around us is an integral part of faith, not a reason to flee it, and (v) what is God calling me to do?
We know God has all authority in heaven and on earth, we know He is sovereign, we know He can do anything that He chooses, we know He created all things, is the author of life and breathes the breath of life into each of us. We know that He loves us and hears our prayers and answers our prayers. We know in the depths of our souls the statements are true. With that in mind, what would the world be like if we each prayed Paul’s prayer above. Imagine we each pray something like,
“Father, please open to me a door for your holy word, that I may declare the mystery of Christ Jesus and that I may reveal it clearly, as I should.”
What would happen? I have no doubt that God will open doors for each of us to speak His holy word and to declare the mystery of Christ Jesus in a manner that will be understood clearly by each listener. God calls us to be His beacons of light to the world, He calls us to be His salt in the world, He calls us to abide in Christ Jesus so that He may produce fruit through us, He calls us to be fishers of people.
If we have encountered Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, God the Father, if we have experienced His glory, if we know in the depths of our souls that He offers His peace, comfort, rest and power to everyone who seeks Him, if He is in the process of transforming us, how can we keep that knowledge to ourselves? Isn’t there a burning desire in our souls, a genuine urging, a sincere need to share it?
His friend said each morning when he wakes, he lies in bed and prays, “Lord, speak to me if there is anything you would like me to do for you today.” And then he lies there for 30 minutes or so and listens. The day before their meeting, his friend was in his hotel room in Atlanta, and after praying the prayer, Ravi was on his mind. So he said, “Lord, is there any word you would like me to speak to brother Ravi?” And the Lord spoke to him. He said, “God told me in my thinking to tell you that the anointing on your life in the years to come will be greater than the years that have gone by.” And God continued saying, “Tell Ravi that he will continue to have struggles and difficulties and challenges, but I am going to take care of him 3, 4, 5.” His friend said that he had no idea what the numbers meant, but he had to relay the message to Ravi.
He asked Ravi whether the numbers meant anything to him. Ravi said that for 28 years he had lived with a broken back caused by the herniation of L3-4 and L4-5. He explained that he has two titanium rods bolted into his back and he had lived in near constant pain for 28 years. It was painful for him to drive and to sit on an airplane, and difficult for him to tie his shoes. He could not carry a bag so he traveled with a companion to help him.
As they shared breakfast that morning, his friend prayed over Ravi’s back and they parted. Ravi went to the airport and at the next airport after he passed through security, without thinking he sat, crossed his legs and tied his shoes. His traveling companion was horrified to see Ravi do something he should not be doing, but Ravi felt no pain. And the pain has not returned. God healed him.
For 28 years Ravi lived in pain and suddenly God took away the pain. God chose to use a man who faithfully prays each day asking God to use him. Paul prayed for God to open doors so that he could declare the mystery of Christ Jesus. Ravi’s friend prays, “Lord, speak to me if there is anything you would like me to do for you today” before stopping to listen.
How might God wish to use you today, tomorrow and each day after that? I encourage you to ask Him. He will reveal His glory through you and when He does please do not hesitate telling everyone about it so that they may encounter Him also.
2Zacharias, Ravi, “Belief in God Through Times of Suffering,” YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=areRxjXQlQ8 (Nov. 9, 2015).