Praying with Paul

This devotional is written by Libby Granite. Libby is a teacher and can’t wait to get back to Uganda!

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

I first started attending St Mary's in 2017 following the mission trip to Uganda. The link that St Mary's has with Kiwoko hospital and particularly Goshen school (which was started by Shadrach who visited us last November - listen to his talk if you missed it!) has changed my life. Goshen is one of my favourite places in the world. It is hard to do it justice with a word limit, but it is full of people who are open to the Spirit and its very existence is a testimony to what can be achieved through faith, prayer and following God's will.

Lockdown in Uganda has been very strict, with reports of numerous human rights violations, food shortages and restrictions on movement which have meant that people were unable to access health services. Schools have been closed in Uganda since March, and have only opened in the last couple of weeks for pupils who will be taking national exams. Millions of pupils have not had any education for more than 6 months, and there is not yet a plan for their return. A recent Presidential address told owners of businesses who had failed because of COVID to 'stop crying over spilt milk'.

When I read this passage I thought immediately of Goshen. The staff and pupils of Goshen are always in my prayers but sometimes I have found it hard to know what to pray for. Here Paul shares his prayer for the church at Colossae: he prays that they are filled with knowledge of God's will; that their lives please God; that they are strengthened by Gods' might; and that they have endurance and patience. This is the prayer that I have for Goshen, and for the people of Uganda. Please join me in praying for Goshen today, that everyone there is strengthened and refreshed by God's unfailing love.