Paul knew who he was going to pray for and why. He didn’t just bow his head and hope names would pop into his mind. How he did this, we don’t know. It’s just as well. We would turn it into some kind of legalistic requirement if we did. But again and again, he prayed for large groups of people, whole Christian communities apparently by name.

No matter how Paul did it, if we are going to pray we need a prayer list. Satan is a seed-snatcher. When we go to pray, he likes to turn the already limited matter in our brains to mush. Only when we have a prayer list do we remember to faithfully call before God many of the people know He wants us to bring to Him.

Read lesson: 1338B