PRAYER: Lord, lead me in prayer to wrestle hard to seek Your will. May I, like Jacob, hold fast to You so I may understand how You want me to be a living stone to build Your church.
DAY 1 - READ COLOSSIANS 4:12-13
Wrestling is an ancient sport. In the first century, wrestlers struggled for their lives, not for television ratings. In the language of the day, the wrestling ring was called the agone and the wrestlers were called antagonists. This is the word-image that Paul uses to describe the work of prayer from Epaphras, a spiritual leader of the Colossian church. Paul tells the church that Epaphras wrestles in prayer for them. We understand Paul’s wordplay if we say that Epaphras agonizes in prayer for them. What a powerful, biblical image. Jacob wrestled with the angel all night for a blessing (Genesis 32:24-31). And Jesus prayed so fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane that his sweat became like drops of blood (Luke 22:41-44). What is so important that Epaphras would pray so passionately? That the Colossian church would grow in their knowledge of God’s will and in their maturity of faith.
1 Peter emphasizes that God calls us to be living stones. “You yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The process of life lived as living stones will not be, nor should it be, short-lived. Like Jacob, you may spend more than one restless night wrestling for an answer from God. The church flourishes when people earnestly pray to seek God’s will. Would you be willing to pray, to wrestle hard, for the future of our church and your role in it? How is God calling you to be a living stone at Calvary Bible Church?
This capital campaign is a call to prayer. Over the next few weeks, we will be encouraged to reflect on a simple question, “Lord, what would you do through me to make Your will happen at Calvary Bible Church?” Genuinely reflecting on this question will mean prayerfully wrestling with God’s will for our individual lives and His will for the body of Christ here at Calvary Bible Church. This is an opportunity to exercise your faith more fully. By its nature, the struggle to respond faithfully will not be easy. As Paul would later say of Epaphras, “I vouch for him that he is working hard for you.”
ACTION ITEM
As part of this campaign, will you decide now to make a prayerful decision about your role as a living stone in our church? Set aside specific time (at least 15 minutes) every day during this campaign to spend in prayer and reflection using this devotional guide. Make an appointment with yourself and God to pray as you work through this devotional for the next 20 days.