Paul's Purposful Prayers

Scripture: In every prayer of mine for you all, I have always made requests with joy, due to your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. ... And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all discernment. Philippians 1:4-5,9

Observation: Paul begins many of his letters with this formula - stating that he is regularly praying for the church because of their great quality of some kind, and then further praying that they will increase in another quality. In the case of the church at Philippi, their great quality is in their mutual and united fellowship within their church, and the quality they should grow into is an increase in knowledge and discernment. Without formal instruction or stern lesson, Paul even tells them how to do this at the end of the letter ... to think on those things that are good and righteous.

In beginning this and other letters by this formula, Paul is effectively making two statements to the church:

1) I know you and value your strengths and qualities.

2) I love you and wish for even more for you.

Application: What would Paul say about me and my church? If there were a "Letter to the Bothellites" written to the "believers who meet at Evergreen", what would Paul's intro look like?

For our church, he would certainly say, "I pray often for you, due to your great love for your community and your heart to change the lives of others through the Gospel of our lord Jesus Christ." On the other hand, about two verses later he would say, "And this I also pray, for your unity, that you may do your great work without division or quarrels of any kind amongst you."

It is probably in this manner than I know I have found my church home ... that these two prayers about my church would likely be the same two prayers Paul would say for me. He would say that I sincerely want to reach the community with the message of salvation and see more people discover faith in Jesus and be baptized ... and he would say that I get easily frustrated with fellow believers and pick sides in arguments.

The challenge is, we have had some bad arguments, and I sincerely believe they have been initiated by Satan in a battle against Jesus through our church. I know the lies told, and the attacks made. I know who has gone years without releasing even a slightest hint of anger, keeping it stored inside to seek vengeance. I know the actions that triggered division and sadness. I know the personal desires that planted the seeds of strife.

In all these things, the righteous have not been blameless, but I believe they have been faithful, honest, and repentant. I know those who have been faithless, dishonest, and shameless. With that knowledge, it is difficult not to "pick sides" ... and even more difficult, I imagine, to understand there must be no 'sides' in the first place. In this, I fail.

My desire in 2017 is to, therefore, become a person - and a church - worthy of a Philippians-like letter from Paul: A letter that begins with a prayer about a strength, followed by a prayer about an improvement that isn't even bad - it doesn't even warrant correction - but rather is just an area for growth that requires only gentle guidance.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please do forgive me of my judgment, especially as it applies within the church. I know we are all part of your body, even when we disagree, and dividing our body against itself only harms your mission through us on earth. May I grow from these experiences, Lord, as well as Phil, Jed, Laurie, Caleb, Greg, Betty, and others. May we be worthy of encouraging letters. Amen.