2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 – a prayer of Paul

 

O Father God,

may You encourage

our hearts

and strengthen us

in every good word

and good deed

through our Lord

Jesus Christ, Who

loved us and,

by His grace,

gave us eternal

encouragement

and the hope

of good

forever.

 

 

from the Book of Bible Prayers

 

Paul's prayer for us and the church

I (the Apostle Paul)
have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus
and your love toward all who believe in Him,
and so I cannot stop myself
from giving thanks for you
every time I pray!

And, oh, how I pray
for God the Father of Glory
in our Lord Jesus Christ
to give you
the Spirit of Wisdom
and reveal to you
the knowledge you need
so your enlightened heart will know
and acknowledge
the hope to which you are called.

Oh, what riches God gives
to the people of God!

Oh, what vast and endless power
we have when we believe
in the work of God

for God put this power to work
in Christ
when God raised Him from the dead
and seated Him

as Truth

in heavenly places
far above all earthly laws

and above all rulers and authorities
and powers of every kind –

above every name –
not only now but in times to come.

For God has put all things under
the feet of Christ
and made Him the head
over all things of the church,
which is the Body of Christ,
full of God,
Who fills us all with all we need.

© 2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrased poem from Ephesians 1:15-23

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