Outreach 5

Colossians 4:2-3

One of our church members was going through a difficult time with her health and called me to ask for prayer. The message was spread among church members that prayer was needed. A few days later I spoke to the woman who had been ill and she said that she felt the power of pray working with her.

From the moment she knew people were praying things got better and she felt comforted and stronger. She had confidence in the effects of prayer.

The letter to the church at Colosse offers a key way to be part of ministry. To what should believers devote themselves? How will others benefit?

When talking about doing mission and outreach through our church there are some members who are disappointed because they are not able to take part in most mission and outreach projects. Whether it is an issue of finances, age or physical abilities, they may not be able to participate in the hands-on work of missions.

Not all people are called to be missionaries. And that’s a good thing, otherwise there would be no one left in the church. There are many aspects to ministry, not all of which involves leaving home. In this passage we are encouraged to devote ourselves to prayer. This is a ministry we can all be involved in.

The first direction is that we should be watchful and thankful in our prayer. We should watch for occasions when God is needed to help others. We should offer thanks for what we have.

Our prayers should also extend to those individuals who are doing mission work. Our prayers should be for their safety and well-being, but we should also pray for their success. We should pray that God will open the doors of those in need so that the work of the missionaries will be accepted and be fruitful for God’s glory.

Through prayer we can all be part of mission and outreach in the kingdom of God.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Pray for the success and safety of a mission team you know of.