Faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
We looked at Romans 12:12 in our last visit: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
To persevere in the face of difficulties you’re facing it is good to know God is working all things together for good, now and in the future. We need to patiently endure in the hope that it will be worth it all on the other side of the valley. This hope gives encouragement and joy. To keep this focus will require prayer. That’s why Paul closed this trilogy of commands with, “faithful in prayer.”
It is interesting to note that James gives the same order in his epistle, James 1:2-5. Listen: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Paul reiterates this in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” To be faithful in prayer is to give constant or steadfast attention to it, to be in constant contact with God.
This is what the apostles practiced when they delegated to deacons the serving of food to the needy so they would be able to give their “attention to prayer,” or as the KJV puts it in Acts 6:4, “We will give ourselves continually to prayer.”
Prayer is one of the best ways to share the love of Christ with others.
