“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” Colossians 4:2-4
The Apostle Paul, in prison for his testimony to the crucified and risen Christ, urges his fellow believers at Colosse to continue in prayer. And while they are praying to the Lord God, watching and giving thanks for God’s answers to their prayers, Paul urges them to remember him and his companions in their prayers as well.
Notice that Paul doesn’t request his release from prison, but rather the opportunity to speak of Christ and of the salvation Christ Jesus has accomplished for all mankind. Paul desires the opportunity to tell the mystery of Christ – that which had been veiled before and only in part revealed through the prophecies of the Old Testament but was now made known in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Paul was in bonds for telling the truth about Messiah Jesus, and he requested the prayers of his fellow believers that he would be given further opportunity to tell of Jesus and of the forgiveness and life which Jesus won for all mankind – both Jew and Gentile – by His holy life and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross for the sins of the world. Paul asked for prayers on his behalf that he might make the mystery of Christ manifest and openly known to all. He asked for prayers that he might hold back nothing, even in the face of adversity, but speak the saving Gospel as he ought to speak it.
This should be the desire of all ministers of the Gospel – for open doors and opportunities to speak the truth and tell others about Messiah Jesus and His life, death and resurrection. And, this should be our prayer for all who are called to preach the Gospel – that they would hold back nothing of God’s Word, but preach the truth and proclaim Christ Jesus and His blood shed upon the cross as the only hope for sinful mankind.
No matter what our circumstances or what obstacles would prevent us from speaking of Jesus and making known the plan of God for the salvation of the world – that great mystery which has been revealed to us in the coming of Christ Jesus and made known to us through the Word of God – let us pray that God would give us opportunities to speak of Jesus and of the forgiveness and life He won for all, and that we hold nothing back, but speak as we ought to speak, that others, too, may know Him and trust in Him as their Savior!
O Spirit of God, we thank You for making known to us the mystery of the Gospel – for revealing to us that Jesus is God the Son in human flesh and that He has made full atonement for all our sins by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death upon the cross for the sins of the world. Open doors that we and all your called ministers may make known the mystery of the Gospel. Give us boldness to speak as we ought to speak, testifying against unrighteousness and sin but proclaiming divine mercy and forgiveness in the crucified and risen Savior, Christ Jesus. In His name we pray. Amen.