“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you…”
— Colossians 1:9-14

I live in Sudbury, Ontario, where mines are over a mile deep, full of iron ore, rich minerals, precious metals, and gemstones.  Extracting them requires technique, experience, and skill.  Nevertheless, millions of tonnes of rock must be processed and “mucked out” by hard work.  Lives are lost in this process.

Chaplains go down into dark places to shed light and to bring out precious jewels. They use their ears, eyes, and hearts to carry hope, comfort, and understanding along fault lines of distress, disease, dis-ease, fear, conflict, doubt, trauma, and pain. They are in deep.

Colossians unearths incredible resources that are available through Christ. Whether you are coming alongside a person to offer comfort and support or find yourself in need of encouragement and strength, this passage reminds us that through prayer, God provides wisdom, strength, and power that enables us to persevere.

REFLECTION
1. Read Colossians 1:9-14 to mine for resources that are available to you.
2. Is there someone for whom you could pray in this way?

Paulette MacRae has served with the C&MA since 1984 and continues to be shaped by God through service. Paulette is an Alliance Chaplain who is part of the network of over 100 chaplains in the Association of Alliance Chaplains.

Photo credit: sylvia@intrigue via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-ND