Charles Spurgeon Commentary Ephesians 1:15-16

"For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which [ye show] toward all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention [of you] in my prayers;" — Ephesians 1:15-16 (ASV)

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

Is that the way we pray? Do we make mention of people in our prayers? It is good to do so.

It is a good plan to keep a list of persons for whom we ought to pray, and to put it before us when we draw near to God, and go over the names.

I knew one man of God who has kept a debtor and creditor list with God for many years. He puts his requests down in the book, and when they are answered, he writes that down. If they are not answered, he repeats them. It is a very wonderful book.

I think he told me that a name is down there of a person for whom he has prayed, who is not converted yet. Out of several for whom he began to pray, this person is the only one who is not converted and is the only one still alive.

The others were brought to Christ and died in the faith, and this person, not yet brought to Christ, still lives.

He prays on with as great a confidence for that man's conversion as I have that Christmas will come in due time. I wish we engaged with God in such a way, but our prayers are shadowy and unreal. God, teach us how to pray!

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

Having received so much, you might receive a great deal more.