Paul Asks For Prayer For Himself
I have lived in Asia (like Paul) for the last 30 years and from the first months found China to be a high criticism culture. So, self esteem is low here. In the West, we may often feel we need people to come off their high horse. But people in Asia and also a lot people in the West have a lot of hurts and often feel not good enough. The apostle Paul lived in this kind of world and was an awesome child of God. However, Paul asked for prayer for himself.
Do you see how radical that is? Pastors say the blessing to the people. They come and pray for and beside the sick. In paul’s time, people collected items that had touched Paul to use its healing power.
Yet, Paul is actively crashing down all the thought that he is somehow higher than everyone else. Later, in the middle ages, when the people could not have the Bible in their language. People started to feel that they could not approach God as he was too high. Thereafter, they decided to ask Jesus Mom, Mary. They thought, and often Catholics still feel, God is too high to reach. They needed to see Paul’s words and know that we are all equal brothers and sisters. Even Jesus called us his brothers and sisters though not equal. None of us under Christ is a level above another. Only God knows where we stand in line to heaven.
Paul Asks For Prayer For Himself
Paul certainly knew this and saw himself as only giving his all, and let God decide. In the meantime, pray for me he says.
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
Here, he names people working with him as coworkers.
9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
We may now have pastors in our churches, but we are all priests
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
So, while Paul prayed with thanksgiving constantly for others, he certainly felt them equally valuable to pray for him. Let us see life as God wanted.
