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.
– Colossians 4:2-4 (NIV)
Prayer is a basic building block for a healthy relationship with God. Prayer is one way we communicate with Him, and it shows that we are giving priority to the relationship. The more consistently we carve out time for daily prayer, the more it reinforces its importance in our lives. What may start as an act of discipline will eventually give birth to desire—a yearning to spend time with one who refreshes your soul.
We must be careful that our time together does not become a time to just complain about all that is wrong, or to incessantly ask for what we do not possess. Our time with God should be full of thanksgiving and a seeking to know His heart, that we might be strengthened and develop a right heart and mind.
Paul asks that the Colossians pray for open doors for the gospel to go forth. This does two things for us: (1) It keeps front and center the call for us “to go and make disciples.” (2) As we go, we need God to go before us. To awaken the hearts of those who would receive the message and to open doors for us to share the message. Prayer in and of itself is a reminder that we are not in this alone and that we can’t do it without God.