Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. – Colossians 4:2, 5-6 NIV
Enjoy Your Christian Life_1 02092020
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The Christians in Colosse needed to be properly directed on the ways to live their Christian lives in order to have maximum advantage. This is because some fake ministers had already found their way into their midst, with the doctrine that they needed to add some non Christians practices to their Christian worship, in order to enjoy full life as Christians – Col. 2:8; 16-24.
The Apostle Paul, in the set of advises in this letter to the Colossians had debunked such views, letting them realise that full rewards are available to the Christian as long as they adhere to a set of rules, which will release these rewards to them. This same advise will also be of great benefit to the Christian today as they remain evergreen. Whereas, in chapter 2 of the same letter, he had impressed it on Christians that they did not need to add to worship, in their new state as born again Christians, the worship of angels or the carrying out of some sacrifices, before they can enjoy the reward of their new Christian lifestyle, he used chapter 3 of the same letter to lay out a set of advises that should guide the entire congregation of God, both as a group and as family units.
Inability to meet desired expectations remains a major source of frustration for the average Christian today. With several doctrines being taught by different people, the average Christian is left with nothing significant except the hope of good life in eternity. The scripture for today is part of the final set of instructions or advises that Paul believes will help the Christian gain maximum advantage of their new lifestyle and they are as follows:
1. They should devote themselves to prayers. This remains a major habit, that the Christian who desires a rewarding lifestyle, must cultivate. Although it is characterised sometimes by audible pronouncements of people, it is mostly an act that must be more spiritual with the Almighty God as the focus and Jesus Christ as the path to achieving all that is desired in prayers. Prayers must be rendered in a manner that will make the whole exercise rewarding else, it will be mere pronouncements with no spiritual impact. That is why efforts should be made to teach Christian’s how to pray just as the disciples asked Jesus Christ to teach them how to pray. Many today do not think that there must be a deliberate act that will show the new Christian the way to render effective prayers which accounts for some of the failures experienced by the Christian. Spend time learning how to pray, spend more time in making effective prayers and you have assurance of a rewarding Christian life.
2. They should be watchful – Matt. 26:41. Prayer will have no meaning if the Christian is not observant, especially about events in his/her environment. Prayer points will be more effective if the Christian is able to watch efficiently before presenting prayer points to the Lord. Being vigilant, which is another way of describing the act of being watchful, also help the Christian to be very pro-active in addressing the acts of Satan – 1Pet. 5:8. A spiritually blind Christian cannot be watchful as one needs more that the pair of eyes that is naturally found in man. A spiritually blind Christian may not be able to maximise the advantages of the Christian life. Develop your spirituality as a Christian so that your vision can be effective sufficiently to be watchful. May God improve our spiritual vision so that we can be more efficient in our watchfulness in Jesus name. Amen.
3. They should be thankful. Being thankful in prayer and at all times remains one of the keys to successful prayer and rewarding Christian life. A Christian that cannot honestly thank God is an ungrateful Christian. With thanks, the Psalmist says we enter into the gates of the Lord – Ps. 100:4. The Apostle Paul advises that we present all supplications with thanks – Phil. 4:6.
The above are three major points that the Christian who desires to enjoy a rewarding Christian life must adhere to. May God grant the ability to be prayerful, vigilant and thankful so that our Christian life may be rewarding in this world and the world to come in Jesus name. Amen
