A Wrestler

When I was a boy,  a very young boy, I went to a wrestling match with my father.  It was not anything I remember with great clarity.  I just know I went.   I have no recollection of the names of the wrestlers, or who proved himself to be the winner.   Later on as a schoolboy I did some wrestling out on the playground during recess.  It was not something that was planned, but something that just happened.  Once again I have no recollection of the name of the winner.  Later on I would learn about a more refined and cleaner kind of wrestling among high school and college wrestlers. 

 

While reading the Word I came across one who was described by the Apostle Paul as a wrestler.  "Epaphras,...is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills."  (Colossians 4:12)  It is word which brings to mind Jacob who wrestled with God the whole of one night.  But, Jacob's wrestling was not so much for the sake of others, but had more to do with the things of his own heart.  Epaphras, on the other hand, was one who wrestled in prayer for the sake of other believers. 

 

I wonder what it looks like to wrestle in prayer.  It is certainly not an image which speaks of soft prayers prayed in the most proper language.  Surely, it speaks of a kind of praying that is full of spiritual sweat and tears.  The image which most quickly comes to mind is the kind of hard praying that Jesus did just before the cross.  Most of us may do some really serious praying about the things which touch our own lives, but Epaphras was one who took hold of the needs of others and would not let them go as he held them up before the Father.  I wonder how much of the spirit of Epaphras God sees in me, or you, as our prayers are cast toward heaven.