Paul’s Prayer

I’ve been reading Colossians chapter 1 a LOT lately.  It’s been like biting off a big piece of pork roast.  As you chew, it just keeps getting bigger and bigger.  So, I’ll discuss some of the insights I have so far; there will be more to come.

Colossians 1:9-14:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

This prayer that Paul prays for the people of Colossae has become a prayer for myself.  Let’s break down the things that Paul asks for here and see what they really are:

• Paul asks that they be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through spiritual wisdom and understanding.
  I’m not sure about you, but that’s definitely something I want more of.  I go through times where I sense very clearly what I believe God’s will to be.  I feel his Spirit speak to me and the path ahead seems clear.  Other times, I’m not so certain.  Sometimes there are lots of options, none of which are bad.  But I don’t just want to choose an option that’s not bad; I want to choose the path that God has planned.  Sometimes, distinguishing between his will and my own is difficult.  That’s why this prayer is so important.
• Notice why Paul prays this. He says it is to bring about some specific things:
  • That they would live a life worthy of the Lord
  • That they would please Him
  • That they would bear fruit in every good work
  • That they would grow in the knowledge of God
  • That they would be strengthened with all power according to His might to bring about:
    • Endurance
    • Patience
    • and Joyful Thanksgiving

You can see that Paul’s intended outcome from this prayer is not that the Colossians would make the right decisions and find “The Good Life.”  He asks that these dear people would be prepared to live a life worthy of the Lord and that they would please Him.

He also says that they will bear fruit in every good work.  Notice that Paul doesn’t ask for this.  He says that bearing fruit will be the result of being filled with the knowledge of God’s will through spiritual wisdom and understanding.   Today, we would say that Paul is declaring that their ministry will be successful.  However, Paul’s definition of success is not a full ministry budget, or fancy logos and fliers, or even competent capable workers.  Paul cuts to the heart of the greatest priority which is that their ministry would “bear fruit,”  the best evidence of which is changed lives.

Paul goes on to say that this knowledge of His will bring about three enduring character traits:  endurance, patience, and joyful thanksgiving.

Thought Questions

1. In what areas of your life do you need the knowledge of God’s will?  Think about it.  Don’t just say every area.  Of course, we need God’s will in every area of our lives!  In what areas have you not allowed his will to penetrate?
2. Do you see any of the qualities that come from this prayer in your life?  Are those qualities increasing or decreasing?

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