Discuss

What can prevent you from praying for your sports friends?

For example, we don’t know what to pray for, we’re too busy, we don’t see the benefit, we don’t know where to start, it feels empty...the list can be endless. However, the root of these reasons can be a misunderstanding or failure to grasp who God is and His call on us to pray.

• In v. 3 what name does Paul use for God?
• In v.5 how does Paul describe God and what does this mean?
• What do you think it means to be made in the image of God?

Sum up

Why should we pray for sportspeople? Because God is both powerful and intimate. The names of God in this passage reflect the power of God to save us and the intimacy of God as He sends Jesus Christ as our mediator.

• What does verse 1 teach us about how we should pray for our sports friends?
• Describe in your own words the four things mentioned.
• What is it that God wants us to pray for from verses 2 & 4?
• Look at the repeated phrase ‘all people’; what is it emphasising?

Sum up

How should we pray? Verse 1 tells us with all kinds of prayers, petitions (requests), intercessions (on behalf of others) and thanksgiving. Is this how you pray for your sports friends? Pray that we would live godly lives among them and that they would be saved.

What does this mean for us?

It is often easier to talk about praying rather than actually doing it! Pray now for:

• the wider sports world - that the Lord would raise up more Christians indifferent sports
• your sport - thank Him for your sport
• your club/team - ‘intercede’ on behalf of your team that God would
  save each of them
• your sports friends – name them before God

All Bible quotations are taken with permission from the NIV:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.