Moments to Ponder
Pondering is a lost practice today.
The idea that we might actually take a few moments to think deeply about anything seems indulgent in our busy, full schedules. Yet, our souls crave rest and space to breathe, process our lives, choices, and walk with Jesus. I invite you to join me fora few moments to take in Scripture and take away a few thoughts to ponder throughout your day.
Moments to Ponder
Episode 10: You are Heard (Colossians 4:2-18)
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Welcome to Episode 10 as we finish our journey together with Colossians 4:2-18. Thank you for joining me for these moments to ponder.
Prayer.
The Gospel.
Community.
Take a few moments to breathe. Rest. and prepare to hear these final words of Paul before you begin. Afterwards, take a few moments to ponder.
0:06 Welcome And Purpose Of The Podcast
0:33 War Room And The Power Of A Prayer Space
2:09 Why Prayer Anchors The Armor Of God
2:53 Colossians 4: Call To Persistent Prayer
5:03 Asking For Prayer And Holy Boldness
7:37 A Moment Of Prayer For Listeners
8:31 Walk In Wisdom And Speak With Grace
10:42 Names That Reveal Gospel Community
14:55 Christ Supreme And Our Daily Witness
16:31 Questions To Ponder And Blessing
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Hi friends, I'm Betsy, and I want to welcome you to Moments to Ponder. This podcast is designed to help you spend a few moments in God's Word and take away something to ponder. I pray our time together today will bring you some encouragement. It's been about 10 years since the movie War Room came out. And if you've ever wanted to upgrade your prayer life, this is a must-see film. The story is focused on prayer as we follow an older woman, a mentor, coming alongside a younger woman as she navigates the challenges of her marriage. The older woman has a prayer closet, which inspires the younger woman who's in the crisis to create her own. And in the process, she takes back her home in prayer. It's powerful. The movie came out just as my daughter graduated college, and her old bedroom had become my new home office. When I got home from that movie, I knew I wanted a prayer closet of my own. I think a lot of people did. So I turned a chair toward the corner of my room since I don't have closets big enough to sit in, and it became my space. I faced the window in the corner and began. This became my place to meet with Jesus. I'd light a candle, grab a blanket, and settle in for whatever time I had that day. Over time I posted verses for prayer, pictures of people I want to pray for, and requests. Now I'm not telling you this so that you'll think I'm this amazing prayer warrior because I'm not. But I wanted to share with you an idea that really helped me. Facing only the corner really helped me focus, and having visuals allowed me to keep requests and people literally in front of me. It's been about 10 years, and although I don't face the corner anymore, I still have visuals all over my office that guide my prayer life. Do you have a space to pray? It really helps. What I've learned is that prayer is powerful. It's our way of tapping into Jesus and hearing his voice. When Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians, he speaks of prayer after the lists of the elements of the armor of God. And it's not an afterthought like, oh, and don't forget to pray. It's actually the key. The armor of God is engaged and strengthened in prayer. So why all this talk of prayer? Well, as we head into this final section of Colossians, Paul is ending his letter as he began, talking about and encouraging prayer. He began this letter praying with thanksgiving, which he does again here at the end, but he also brings his own requests to this little church. We begin with Colossians 4, verse 2. Be faithful to pray as intercessors who are fully alert and giving thanks to God. In the Amplified Bible, this verse reads: Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving. Prayer is communing and connecting with God. It's the incredible access he has given us to have conversations with him. And it's that mysterious wonder of knowing that he listens and speaks in return. Friends, did you know that yours is the voice that he longs to hear? He can't wait to hear from you. Scripture tells us to ask, seek, listen, watch, persevere, all in prayer with thankfulness and without ceasing. It's our portal to strength, wisdom, guidance, and hope. And yet how often do we neglect to speak with him or listen to him because, well, we're busy, persistent, devoted, faithful, alert, focused. These are the characteristics listed in this verse. Does your prayer life reflect them? I know mine isn't always this way, but it's my hope to get there. I know it's the long game and it's fueled by thanksgiving, which is actually empowered through trust. Thankfulness helps us watch for his work and keeps our eyes focused on him. Paul continues in verse 3. And please pray for me that God will open a door of opportunity for us to preach the revelation of the mystery of Christ, for whose sake I am imprisoned. Pray that I would unfold and reveal fully this mystery, for that is my delightful assignment. I find it interesting how many times people resist asking for prayer. I mean, I know I do. We're either afraid to let others know we need help or we're wary of the vulnerability required to share. Or if I ask for prayer, then they'll know I don't have it all together, and they might judge me or wonder how I can lead others when I have struggles myself. But if we don't share, how can others pray? How can others intercede for us? Paul asks the church to be intercessors for him, to lift him in prayer as he continues to seek opportunities to share the gospel. He asks for courage and clarity as he shares, even if it means he stays in prison. Paul isn't worried about the judgment of others. He knows he needs their prayer to strengthen him because prayer is powerful. Oh, we need to get over ourselves and allow others to pray for us and with us. Before a mission trip, I would pray this prayer specifically, and I'd ask others to pray it as well. I pray that our words and our actions would fully reveal Jesus to those we were going to serve. The gospel is the mystery that Paul is speaking of throughout this letter, the wonder of a life forgiven, the connection of a community of faith, the power of prayer and the ability to draw strength from the Spirit to truly let our words be drenched with grace. It's becoming like Jesus. I know I don't get it right all the time, and you might not either, but Paul's words are meant to encourage us to continue to live into what we know is true. Paul shares a couple of prayer requests. You know, there's something that happens in us when we know others are praying for us, lifting us before God, seeking to intercede. It's it's like activating the joined forces of heaven on our behalf. It's pretty amazing when you think about it. So let's pause right here for a minute and pray. Is there someone you can lift before God as I lift you? You have his attention all the time. Father God, I lift before you the one who is listening today. I thank you for all the ways you have uniquely created this beloved one. I ask that you work in their life in whatever way is needed today. May he or she feel strengthened by your power and infused with your love, knowing that you are in all and through all. Lord, may she or he feel truly seen by you and touch their heart today. Amen. Let's continue into verse 5. Walk in the wisdom of God as you live before the unbelievers, and make it your duty to make him known. Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity, for then you will be prepared to give a respectful answer to anyone who asks about your faith. I'm struck by these concluding words of Paul here. He's summing up what he's already written and reminding them of what they need to know. He reminds us all, right? All of us are receiving this letter. And he reminds us to walk in the wisdom of God. He knew that the most effective way to share the love of Jesus is to live it out in such a way that people ask about him. It's so important that our lives not be a contradiction to the message we share in our homes and workplaces, on sports fields, and even on social media. Then make it your duty to make him known. Jesus said, Go into all the world and share me. Share that good news that I bring. And let every word be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity. Oh, how our world needs that right now. When you think about how you interact with others, whether face to face, online, or in a text, are you speaking wisely? Are your words full of grace and truth? Are you respectful? I know that that hits me. Friends, praying in our prayer closets, reading scripture, and quoting verses are all really good things. But if our lives don't reflect Jesus outside the closet, we're missing a key element of sharing the gospel, which is our lives. Our lives that point to Jesus so that others can see him. Behind Paul's letter, the gospel of Jesus is the whole point. It's behind his prayer requests, it's behind the instructions he's giving to this church. Prayer and the gospel. Two of three key spiritual elements that Paul is focusing on as he closes this letter. And the third element is community. We continue in verse 7. And there's a lot of names in this section, so don't check my pronunciation. Tychicus. Yep, that's the first name. Ticacus will tell you about what's happening with me. I have sent him to you so that he could find out how you're doing in your journey of faith and bring comfort and encouragement to your hearts, for he is a beloved brother of Christ, a faithful servant of the gospel, and my ministry partner in our master Yahweh's work. I have also sent Anesimus, who is from your city and is also a beloved and faithful brother who will inform you of all that we're enduring. Aristarchus, a fellow prisoner here with me, send you his love. And Joshua, who is also called Justice, along with Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, also send you their loving greetings. You've already been informed that if Mark comes to you, receive him warmly. These three men are the only ones of the circumcision who have aided me here in the work of the kingdom of God, and they have been a great blessing to me. Epaphorus, who is also from Colossae, sends his loving greetings. I can tell you that he is a true servant of Christ who always labors and intercedes for you. His prayers are filled with requests to God that you would grow and mature, standing complete and perfect in the beauty of God's plan for your lives. Epaphorus has such great zeal and passion for you and for those who are from Laodicea and from Hieropolis. And Luke, the beloved physician, sends his warm greetings to you and Demas also. Give my greetings to all the believers in Laodicea and pray for dear Nymphus and the church that gathers in her home. Once you have read this letter publicly to the church, please send it on to the Church of the Laodiceans and make sure you read the letter that I wrote to them. Be sure to give Archipus this message. Be faithful to complete the ministry you received from our Lord Jesus. Now, finally, I, Paul, write this with my own handwriting and send my loving greetings to you. Remember me in my imprisonment. May the blessing of God's grace overwhelm you. Love in Christ, Paul. Community. Rather than just a list of names, think about the people that Paul speaks of by name Tychicus, Onesimus, Epaphorus, Aristarchus, Justus, Mark or John Mark, Luke, Demas, Greeks and Jews listed together. I did love that he shares just a little bit of their story so that it's personal for those who are listening, but also for those he is with. Epaphorus, the pastor from Colossae who loves and prays for them. Luke, the doctor that wrote the gospel and Acts. Mark, who is with him after being a point of contention earlier in ministry, which shows the reconciliation that has occurred. Onesimus, the slave, Antichicus, who will carry this letter to Colossae and Laodicea, and then stay to help the church understand all that Paul has said. Not only is Paul honoring them by speaking of them, but he's also sharing that the Christian life requires a team. He does not do this work alone, and neither should we. He sends greetings to the Laodicean church who will also hear this letter, and to Nymphus, a woman who leads the church in her home. That alone could be a whole nother series. Now, dear one. As we come to the close of Colossians, let's remember that Paul's main purpose in writing was to encourage and also to instruct. It was critical to Paul that this church know that Christ is the visible image of God, sovereign and above all things. They lived in a world that wanted them to think differently. He wrote of Jesus, who reconciled all things to himself through his death on the cross, the one who makes believers alive to God through his resurrection. And Christ sets them on a path of right living through his spirit. And the lives of these Colossian people were the example to all of what following Jesus meant. They did this by showing love and kindness, humility and compassion and grace. And all of that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit, which means we have that spirit as well. We can live with love and kindness and humility and compassion, words drenched with grace. God, Jesus, Holy Spirit. He hears you, empowers you, and directs you. This is truth. Thank you, Jesus. I have a few questions for you to ponder as we close this section today. What role does prayer play in your life? Have you thought about it? Are you prepared to give a respectful answer if you're asked about your faith? Do you have a community of faith? And now, friends, be faithful to complete the ministry you receive from our Lord Jesus. I pray that you would grow and mature in Christ, standing complete and perfect in the beauty of God's plan for your life with words drenched in grace and hearts filled with the fullness of Him. May the blessing of God's grace overwhelm you. Amen.