“I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:3-6

The other day I was driving to Colorado Springs for a doctor’s appointment. Up ahead of me there was a car weaving back and forth, crossing over the center line, over to the median, and then back again. At first, I was worried they were drunk, but I really hoped that was not the case at 9 in the morning. I decided to pass them because I figured it would be safer in front of them than behind them. As I drove by, I looked over to see what the problem might be. What I saw was a woman doing her makeup in the visor mirror while going 70mph down the interstate. The truth is, you cannot stare at yourself and drive safely at the same time. You have to recognize there are others on the road whose safety depends on you.

I have often said, if you want to know where your true priorities are, simply look at your calendar. The same can be said of our prayers. If you were to go back and journal your prayers over the last month, how many of them were centered around you and how many were centered on others? Just like the woman on the interstate, focusing only on yourself is a dangerous practice. Alistair Begg says, “Our prayers tell us a great deal about ourselves and about our view of those around us.” If all your conversations with God are only about yourself, then you may be lacking in love and concern for those around you. I am not saying we should not bring our personal hurts and cares before God. What I am saying is that there are others on this road with us. We need to be just as concerned about their hurts and cares as we are about our own. If we live life only praying for ourselves, we have one person praying for us. If we all commit to pray for one another, then we have countless prayers being brought before God on our behalf.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the incredible men and women who are on this road of life alongside me. I thank You for their gifts, their hearts, and their work for Your Kingdom. Please watch over them, strengthen them, and equip them for the travels that still lie ahead. Father, bless my brothers and sisters.

In Christ’s Service,