Passage Read: Colossians 3-4 Meditation Verses: 4:12-13
Thought
Epaphras is like Paul also a prisoner, according to the letter to Philemon, which should be a companion letter to this one. Yet Epaphras is not silenced or hindered in ministry or in love for his people. In prison, he has more time to pray, and Paul testifies that Epaphras is working hard for them even while in chains! He is always wrestling in prayer for them, that they would "stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured." That doesn't sound like a complicated prayer or one that requires much wrestling, so it is surely just Paul's summary of all Epaphras prays for them. How much of Paul's letter is based on the things he's heard Epaphras pray for these churches? Perhaps all of it, since he only knows a few of these people personally and says that in large part, he's never met these believers. If so, then Epaphras has a lot of issues he's pleading with God to help the people understand and obey. Paul's letter would be a partial answer to his wrestlings. But God must work in their hearts to receive the instructions and warnings and conform to them. Kingdom work is not done by letter or preaching or teaching alone, it must be coupled with fervent prayer.
Application
This is an area I'm consistently weak in. I pray some for people and things, usually when something urgent is right in front of me, but I can't characterize most of my praying as wrestling in prayer. I don't have the consistency or content that this letter implies about Epaphras' wrestling. I need to set aside regular time to pray specifics, these kinds of spiritual priorities, for the people I'm connected with. I need to carve time into my day today and every day.