Lent 2014
April 2, 2014
Read Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14
For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. — Colossians 1:9-12
During this season of prayer for Putnam Heights Elementary School, the mission team is asking each participant to prayerfully consider what he or she can do in an ongoing way to be a part of this ministry. We will need tutors and organizers; perhaps surrogate classroom parents; people to upgrade the landscape; and financial support. But there is probably nothing we can provide that is more important than our continuing prayer support. If you had been a member of the church as Colossae, how do you think you would have felt when the words of our scripture today were read to you? This is a powerful prayer.
My mother died at the age of 98, almost 99, and for the last eighteen months of her life she was confined to bed or a wheelchair because her hip had broken and it was determined that her bones were too fragile for her to put any weight on them. While she remained sharp (she could still calculate double 12 domino scores in her head) her short term memory was limited. Yet she remained a dedicated Christian and prayed regularly. She particularly enjoyed prayers of thanks for the elementary school children who came each week and did crafts with the patients where she lived. Her ministry never ended nor should ours.
We need to pray for each child, parents and teacher; other staff members; school administrators; and government officials whose decisions impact education. They may never know we are praying for them, but our prayers will make a difference for them even if the primary difference is through our caring and services. We might borrow some of Paul’s prayer for a start: May [the students at PHE] be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may [they] be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled [them] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Prayer: Here our prayer, O Lord, Here our prayer, O Lord, incline thy ear to us and grant us they peace. Amen.
The identities of students, families, or staff in stories that are shared in the devotions have been altered to protect their privacy. Any similarities between these stories and the experience of others are coincidental. No stories about students, families of students, or staff from Putnam Heights Elementary School are included in any of these devotions.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.