Reasons to kneel before the Father – Wednesday 25th November 2015 – Month of prayer and giving guide

‘For this reason I kneel before the Father,  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. (Ephesians 3:14-15)

What can we learn from this?

1. He is talking about his prayers again – this repetition teaches the importance that he and we should place on prayer.
2. ‘For this reason…’ (see 1:15 also) is an expression that refers back to all that he said in chapter 2: Paul is confident to pray because God has chosen them and saved them in Christ.
3. He is ‘kneeling’ – this is a physical expression of worship, earnestness, submission and dependence.
4. He is praying to the ‘Father’ – an expression of the confidence he has to be heard because he has been adopted into the family of God.
5. He uses this interesting phrase ‘from whom every family in heaven and on earth…’ this is an expression of our unity with all Christians on the earth and those who are in heaven – we share the same Father. Paul uses this to bolster our confidence in prayer: the ‘Father’ is very attentive to our prayers for the family.
6. And this family ‘…derives its name’ from the Father; this is an expression of the great security, dignity and responsibility that all Christians now have: we share the name of God as members of His family – as Christians our family name has changed! This means we are loved and so can pray with confidence; it is also a responsibility never to do anything that would bring dishonour the name of God.

Thinking about the gospel (‘for this reason’), your posture (kneeling etc.); thinking about whom you are praying to (the Father); and for whom you are praying (God’s and our family when praying for Christians) are great ways to fuel our praying.

Take a moment to pray and arrange your praying like this:

• Try kneeling, or raising your hands, or having an open bible in your hands etc - a physical demeanor that expresses rest, worship and submission.
• Remember the gospel for you and Community Church (maybe use Ephesians 2:1-8 to help you).
•  Thank God for your adoption and that of the church into His family (See Ephesians 2:17-19)
• Now pray for provision, generosity and wisdom for yourself and the church during this month of prayer and giving.