Colossians 1:9-10

Colossians 1:9-10

Because of this, from whatever day that we heard we also are not ceasing while praying and asking on your behalf in order that you all should be filled in the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual insight to behave in a manner worthy of Lord in every pleasing way, while bearing fruit in every good work and while growing in the knowledge of God …

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul prays for other people.  This is one of the most consistent themes across all of his letters.  Paul is lifting up the faith of other people.  Paul is asking God to keep their faith strong by increasing it.  I think Paul realizes just how easy it is to let our faith slip into a lower place of priority in our life.  He also knows that he is powerless to actually get other people to take their faith seriously.  Thus, Paul lifts them up in prayer.  Paul gives the faith of others to the only being in the world who can influence the faith of the people around us in any meaningful way.  Paul prays for them, asking God to do what needs to be done in all of our lives.

For whom do you pray?  For what do you pray on their behalf?

Second Thought:

Notice for what Paul prays and asks with respect to the Colossians.  He asks that they be filled with wisdom and knowledge and spiritual insight as it pertains to the will of God.  Paul doesn’t ask that they become prosperous.  He doesn’t ask that they become famous.  He doesn’t ask that they have an easy life.  He asks that God would reveal His will to them so that they would be able to make sound decisions.  This is an important perspective because it highlights the spiritual focus of Paul.  Yesterday we spoke about the fact that Paul saw Epaphras as a coworker because he was submitted to God’s will for his life.  It is this very thing for which he prays with respect to all the Colossian people.

What is your focus in this life?  When you pray for other people, for what do you pray?

Third Thought:

What is the ultimate goal of having insight and knowledge into God’s ways?  It is simple – but very easy to get it wrong.  The goal is to please the Lord with our behavior.  We desire to know God’s will so that we can live in a manner that pleases our Lord.  We must be careful here.  As human beings, it is difficult enough to desire God’s will instead of our own will.  But even when we do desire God’s will instead of our will it is difficult to do it for the right reasons!  So often I want God’s insight or God’s wisdom so that I can be perceived as smart or intelligent or wise or even feel needed by the people around me.  But those are all self-serving reasons!  I should desire to know insight into the will of God so that God the Father should be pleased with my life.  After all, who is it that brings salvation into my life?  It is Him that I should seek to please.

Where in your life do you think that God is pleased?  Where in your life are you seeking to please someone or something else before God?

Passage for Tomorrow: Colossians 1:11-12