“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ” Colossians 1:3 NIV
Paul is writing to the Christians in the church in Colossae. He has never met these brothers and sisters in Christ, as he was unable to go there to help them begin the church in Colossae. Even though he has never met them, he opens the letter he is writing to them by letting them know that he is praying for them and he is thankful for them.
Praying is very important to our spiritual life as it is a direct connection between us and God. We often pray for those we know who are non believers to come to know Christ. Praying for other believers is as important as praying for unbelievers because when we do we are lifting them to God to help strengthen them. Praying for others, even others we have never met, shows our connection to them through the family of Christ.
Being thankful in our prayers helps us to maintain our focus on what God has done for us. When we are focused on the blessings we have been given, it is difficult to focus on negative things in our lives. For those who are new Christians, I encourage you to pray for everyone including yourselves as you grow in your walk with Christ.
When you pray, do you give thanks? Do you pray for nonbelievers? Do you pray for other believers? Do you pray for both?