Colossians 4:2-6. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 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. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Today’s Word calls us to devote ourselves to prayer—watchful and thankful prayer. But the sad truth is that many believers pray like unbelievers do. They come before God simply to plead for relief from daily pressures, for personal needs, or for better circumstances. They ask for what they fear they might lose and what they feel they must gain. Jesus said that this is how the pagans pray. Even the children of God pray like that because they do not know the Father loves them and already knows what they need (Matthew 6:31-32).
But God calls us to a greater kind of prayer—prayer that sees the world through His heart and participates in His mission. Paul urges the church in Colossae to pray for the movement of the gospel, for open doors, and for clarity in proclaiming Christ. This shows what matters most to God: the salvation of souls and the advancement of His kingdom.
It is easy to imagine the mission field as a distant place across oceans and borders. Yet the true mission fields surround us every day—at home, in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces, in our schools—where Jesus is not known as the Christ. And yet many Christians never step into those fields, even when God places people within arm’s reach who desperately need Christ. We hesitate. We delay. We let fear take the lead instead of faith.
God sees this neglect, and it grieves His heart, because what the world needs most is the authentic gospel that saves. Not a watered-down message that promises motivation or success. Not a distorted gospel that focuses on worldly blessings instead of Christ. All false gospels originate from the enemy, designed to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). The true gospel proclaims Jesus as the Christ—the One and only answer to the root problem of humanity.
This mystery of Christ was hidden for ages but is now revealed to us: that Jesus alone is the True Prophet who reconnects us to God, the True King who conquered Satan, and the True Priest who removed sin’s curse by His blood. No religion, no philosophy, no accomplishment can solve the problem of spiritual death. Only Jesus. And now God has entrusted this truth to us—not for private comfort or enjoyment but for public proclamation.
When we finally see the world through God’s eyes, everything looks different. We see multitudes wandering in darkness without hope, not because they are bad, but because they are lost and dead. They are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. And the devil knows how to attack those who do not know the truth.
That is why Jesus looks at the world and laments: The harvest is overflowing—but where are the workers? So, He speaks to us today, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38). It’s time we changed the focus of our prayers.
This is why we must pray—because evangelism begins not with our effort but with God’s heart. When the church prays in alignment with His desire, God raises workers, opens doors, and grants courage to speak. We see this clearly in the Book of Acts: every great movement of salvation started with prayer, and prayer always preceded the opening of new mission fields.
And so we must ask ourselves: What breaks the heart of God? What moves Him to act? It is when His children pray for the lost, for the mission field, and for those bound by darkness. God is searching for a few people who will carry His burden in their prayers—people who will refuse to sleep spiritually while others perish.
Every believer has a role in this. You may be the first voice that speaks Christ into someone’s life. You may be the one who plants the seed of truth, or waters the seed already planted, or rejoices in the moment of new birth. No effort for the gospel is wasted—not a single prayer forgotten. Heaven records every act of love that leads someone one step closer to Jesus.
So, lift your eyes from your own needs and look to the fields ripened for harvest. Devote yourself to prayer—alert to spiritual reality and thankful for all God has already given you in Christ. Ask God to fill you with courage anchored in the gospel. Let your words be seasoned with grace so that even a short conversation may open a heart. Wherever you go, go as Christ’s ambassador. God is making His appeal to the world through you.
Prayer. Father, awaken my heart to what matters most to You. Open the doors of the gospel in my family, in my community, and around the world. Use my life to carry the message of Christ to those who do not yet know Him. Make my prayer a channel of Your saving work. In Jesus’ name, Amen.