September 21, 2020 CAC Living Water Devotional :- PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING
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LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Monday, September 21, 2020 – World Gratitude Day & International Day of Peace
PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING
Read:Colossians 4:2
MEMORISE:
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving (Col. 4:2)
EXPOSITION
Many disciples of Christ know it is important to pray; but how often do we pray or more importantly, what is our attitude towards prayer? The Apostle Paul’s letters to the churches are often “soaked” in his teaching and call for prayers. In Colossians 4:2, Paul’s exhortation to the church in Colossae is to continue steadfastly in prayers, and they were to be watchful in it with thanksgiving. To Paul, being steadfast in prayer and having an attitude of thanksgiving are closely related. Without an attitude of thanksgiving, it seems unlikely that our Christian life can demonstrate steadfastness in prayer. In other words, the lack of a prayerful life often reflects an ungrateful attitude our Abba Father.
Indeed, ungrateful children don’t interact often with their parents. They feel entitled. They don’t usually say thank you even when they know that their parents work hard to give them a reasonably “good life”. They would ask for money or things when they are in need. However, on usual days, they would very much prefer to spend time with their friends or on their phones than having conversation with their parents.
How much of an ungrateful child are you to your Father in heaven? Why is it that there are times when you choose not to wait upon your Abba Father even though deep down, you believe He loves you? The only conclusion is that you have been ungrateful. You have taken Him for granted. May the Lord restore your heart in Him to help you to be more steadfast in prayers and being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Amen.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Abba Father, give me the grace to grow in gratefulness of who You are in my life.
2. Help me, O Lord, to grow in being steadfast in my daily conversations with You.
3. Pray that in this World Gratitude Day and International Day of Peace, God should restore the spirit of gratitude to Him and one another among us, so that true and lasting peace would be our experience.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Proverbs 18 – 19