Labouring fervently in prayer

Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis. Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. – Colossians 4.12-14

Who is Epaphras? He was a Colossian believer who, at some point, was a fellow prisoner with Paul. He was a hard worker. He was a fervent pray-er. He had great zeal for the Colossian church, and well as the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

There is a phrase that sticks out to me though. It is mentioned that he ‘laboured fervently in prayer.’ He is what we might today call a true prayer warrior. When I think of labouring in prayer I always think about Jacob and his wrestling match with the ‘man of God' because sometimes prayer can be as hard work as Jacob's struggle.

Epaphras had a real zeal for the people of the Colossian church. His heart was heavily burdened. So he took it on himself to struggle in prayer for them.

Every time I read about pray-ers and their prayers in the Bible I am hit by just how weak my prayer life is. I have to admit that there have only been a handful of times in my life when I have had the zeal to ‘labour fervently in prayer.’

What a challenge Epaphras presents. By the grace of God may I (and perhaps more than just me) learn to prioritise my life and have a zeal to labour fervently in prayer for others.