Popeye and His Spinach

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. (Colossians 4:12-13 ESV).

 

If you travel just a bit north of Carrizo Springs, Texas, which is the birthplace and childhood home of my wife, you would come to Winter Haven. This town was best known for the Texas Agricultural Research Station, where Mary’s Dad was stationed before he was moved to Texas A&M to continue research and teach. Then traveling a bit further north you would arrive at Crystal City, Texas. All of that area is still heavily engaged in agriculture. What you may not be aware of is that Crystal City is also known as the “Spinach Capitol of the United States.” They proudly proclaim this fact with life-size statue of Popeye in the front of their city hall. We all know that story. When Popeye ate his spinach no one, even Brutus, could beat him. He was constantly saving Olive Oil from the bully with one gulp of the magical power of spinach. He could out wrestle any villain to save the day!

 

At the close of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians he reminds the people how much Epaphras prayed for them. Although Epaphras had moved on to work with other groups of believers, he had not abandoned the Colossian church. He was persevering with them through his prayers. Though he was not physically present with them in worship, they were not forgotten. They were remembered in the most important of ways: prayer.

 

Prayer is an essential part of mentoring someone in faith. God is the one in charge of molding hearts, so it is important for us to petition God to keep us and those whom we are mentoring aligned with his will. Epaphras prayed that the people of Colossae would stand firm in the will of God. He is described as wrestling in prayer for the Colossians. He was struggling and persevering in prayer for the people he loved. He had invested in them initially by sharing his faith with them, and now he continued to invest in them by lifting them up in prayer to God.

 

We all have people we love whom we can pray for regularly. Jesus himself modeled for us what it meant to be faithful in prayer. If Jesus felt the need to intercede with his heavenly Father, how much more is this needed in our lives! Consider today for whom you could be praying. Pray passionately for their faith and ­assurance and spiritual growth in Jesus’ name! Eat a little spinach and wrestle for them!