Generally I’m not a very good pray-er. Easily distracted, my mind veers off into all sorts of (seemingly) interesting directions. But I understand the need for prayer. This week I especially resonate with Paul’s call for prayer:

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Paul underscored the value of prayer. Prayer draws upon the power of God, pulling his magnificence into our experience. Prayer pushes us closer to the Lord and to each other. It’s hard to stay angry with someone for very long when you start praying for them.

I need prayer and I need to pray. This week I’m in Italy with a group of professors and fellow ministers, speaking to Italian students at various universities. If you would, please pray for doors to swing open as we proclaim the mystery of Christ. Ask that we make the most of this opportunity, and that we speak words of grace seasoned with the Holy Spirit.

It’s humbling to realize that we are discussing the good news in Italy, where Paul and Peter and others did the same two thousand years ago. But every generation needs to hear afresh, and students find the wisdom of professors compelling. Join us in praying that seeds of faith find good Italian soil in which to sprout.

Colossians 4 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Jonathan Körner