The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost – July 26, 2025
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him…” (Colossians 2:6)
“Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1)
We begin with two simple invitations.
The first, from Paul, reminds us that the Christian life doesn’t end with belief—it begins there. We’re called to be rooted in Christ, built up and strengthened, living lives that overflow with gratitude.
The second, from the disciples, reaches into our longing: Teach us to pray. Show us how to speak to God—not with performance, but with presence.
Colossians assures us that we are not merely improved—we are made alive in Christ. In baptism, something deeper happens. We are buried and raised. The record of our wrongs? Canceled. The powers that shamed and bound us? Disarmed. This is not theoretical—it’s the soil beneath our feet, the nourishment for our growth.
And in Luke, Jesus gives us a pattern.
It begins with God as Father—near, tender, holy.
It moves with humility: “Give us this day…”
It expands in mercy: “Forgive us…”
And then it stretches into courage: “Deliver us…”
But Jesus doesn’t stop there.
He tells a story of persistence. A neighbor knocks. He keeps knocking. He receives.
Ask, Jesus says. Seek. Knock. Not timidly, but boldly. Not once, but again and again.
And what does the Father give?
Not just bread, not just relief—He gives the Holy Spirit. He gives himself.
God is not reluctant. He is generous.
So what does this mean for us?
- It means that our rootedness in Christ is not passive—it is a daily decision to live in resurrection hope.
- It means that our prayers are not desperate attempts to sway an indifferent God—they are loving conversations with a God who already leans in.
- It means that even in moments of silence, we remain filled, forgiven, free.
So today, walk in Christ.
Let your prayers rise like incense—persistent, shameless, trusting.
You are not forgotten. You are alive.
The fullness of God dwells in Christ.
And through Christ, the fullness of God dwells in you.