Lisa Sheffler, author

Day 5 | So That

Reflect

Look back at the four prayers we looked at this week.

Which one resonated most with you? Why?

Pray that prayer out loud today, and consider memorizing it. Write it on a notecard and put it on your bathroom mirror, take a picture of the text and set it as the lock screen on your phone, record yourself reading it and play it in the car as you drive, or whatever method works for you. Make Paul’s prayer your prayer as you begin 2021.

So That

There is no magic in repeating the prayers of Paul like an incantation. God cannot be compared to a cosmic wizard who zaps unsuspecting frogs and turns them into princes. Wishful thinking will not make us Christlike. But neither are Paul’s prayers just motivational mantras to inspire us to do better. We cannot become more like Christ with simple human effort.

Prayer is so much more than either one of these misconceptions. It is an acknowledgement that the key to living the Christian life is found in God himself. That it’s a relationship with the Creator who designed us out of love. That the one who is powerful enough to raise Jesus from the dead has the power to shape us into the image of his son, making us fit citizens for his Kingdom, and children who bring honor to their Father. Prayer reminds us of who we are and who we are becoming. It invites the Holy Spirit to complete the work begun in us at the moment of salvation.

Every one of these prayers saw Paul asking God for knowledge and power, but never as an end unto themselves. There is always a “so that” that reminds us that the insight and wisdom we receive from God are fuel to propel our lives forward. A greater and deeper comprehension of God and his ways, infused with power from the Holy Spirit will transform us.

So that we become people of prayer.

So that we can make God-honoring decisions and wise choices in our lives.

So that we will have the strength, patience, and endurance to live for Christ and resist temptation.

So that we live with an eternal perspective, knowing the pain and struggle of this life will pale in comparison to our future life with Christ.

So that we would abound in love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ and find unity within our church body to live out the mission of Jesus.

So that we stop buying into the lie that we are the stars of our own show, and that only our needs and wants, and the needs and wants of our family are worth pursuing.

So that when the news of the day finds its way to us, either through a Facebook post or the Dallas Morning News, we see it through a gospel lens with a heart that longs for justice, peace, and love and is willing to act sacrificially on behalf of another.

So that our new year will be one in which we were more often moved to action to help a world full of people that need the tangible love of God.

Pray

Pray over the following questions. Consider journaling your responses.

Take some time to reflect back on 2020. What has God shown you over the past 12 months? How have you grown in your knowledge of him?
What “so that” could you add to this list for 2021? What difference could a greater understanding of God and his ways do for you in the new year?
Let’s all imitate Paul and pray for our church family. Pray that we will all grow in our knowledge of God and may our lives reflect that knowledge.

Happy New Year!