Colossians 1: 9 - 11
Do you pray for your children? Do you pray for your spouse? Do you pray for friends? How do you pray? The verses we are meditating on today are part of a splendid example of prayer. It gives us a model for praying for those that we love. As we examine this passage, I want to make it my own pattern for praying for my daughters, my husband, and even for myself.
Paul begins with the words, "for this reason". For what reason? The reason is the faith in Christ and the love for their fellowman that Paul knows mark these Colossian Christians. Because of those splendid "pillars" in their lives ... Paul then carries them tirelessly in prayer.
So, for what does Paul ask? He asks the most critically important things for them. And one can't help but notice that it is not for their health and prosperity. Paul asks that they be filled with the knowledge of the will of God through spiritual wisdom and understanding. I fear that we often pray for God to understand our will and conform to our wishes. We must learn this lesson! Because living out the will of God for our lives is the "one thing". Do you remember Curly in the movie "City Slickers" when he talked about the essence of life was the "one thing"? Well, the "one thing" is understanding and doing the will of God in our lives.
Why does it matter so much? Paul then begins to enumerate "why" it matters. First he says that it allows us to live our lives worthy of the Name that we wear, worthy of wearing the Name of Christ. I desperately do not want to bring shame on the Name of Christ. So I must be filled with the knowledge of the will of God so that I can work it out in practical ways in my everyday living. Secondly, Paul says that this pleases God. I so want to please God - don't you? Not to earn anything ... can't be done. But because I love Him so! Thirdly, knowing and living out God's will allows me to bear fruit in my life - spiritual fruit - eternal fruit. Fruit-bearing is talked about alot in scripture, isn't it? It must matter - this maturing process - this growing into purpose. Fourth, it provides the power, the strength to live my life with endurance and patience. In English these two words seem very similar. When we check the Greek words, we find two different concepts. The first, the word translated "endurance" in the NIV, is the Greek word hopomone. This word has to do with the strenth to endure, to overcome circumstances. Life hits us hard through circumstance ... health, finances, loss, abandonment ... circumstances can be tough. We need the strength and power to live through, to overcome, the various circumstances that blow into our lives. The word translated "patience" in the NIV is the Greek word makrothumia. This word references people. Patience with the people in our lives. Do you have anyone in your life that requires patience from you? Stupid question isn't it!! We need the strength and power to live with patience with the people in our lives - those close to us and those we merely encounter.
These are the core needs in our lives. These are the core needs in our children's lives and our spouses lives and our fellow believers lives. Will you pray for them like this? Will I? In your notebook, write this prayer out - inserting the name/names that you want to include. Let it be your beginning place when you bring those loved ones before the throne of God.
Thank you, Lord, for giving Paul these words to instruct us in praying for those we love and for ourselves. Fill us with the knowledge of Your will through spiritual wisdom and understanding.
As Paul prays for the Colossian who possess the "two pillars" of faith in Jesus and love of fellow man, I wonder how he prays for those who maybe do not have these strengths.
ReplyDeleteBut asking God for wisdom is absolutely what Paul is about here. Without the knowledge of God's will in my life, how can I possibly live a life pleasing to him?
I like your comment about "bearing fruit" in my own life as growing into maturity. Earthly things and ideas seem to fade into obscurity when I consider growing in God's knowledge.
Now we come to endurance and patience. I wish we did not need them, but if we didn't then we would not be living life in the real world according to God's plan. If all was easy in this world (health, wealth, relationships)we would not be so appreciative of the forgiveness of sins and the kingdom of light that Paul mentions.
I want redemption (for me, spouse, children, grandchildren, friends, etc) which seems to require (at least to some extent) knowledge of God's will. Or maybe I have missed something.
Every time I read this passage, the phrase “knowledge of the will of God” pops out at me. Paul says (by implication) “be filled with it.” How? “Through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Where does that come from? James says it comes from God, who gives generously to those who ask Him for it. And so we ask – because working it out in practical ways in our everyday living can be a complicated business!
ReplyDeleteSome things – slander, hatred, adultery, murder -- are always wrong. Scripture enumerates (though perhaps this list is not as extensive as we sometimes try to make it) black-and-white, right-or-wrong issues about which there can be no mistake. Identify specific examples and avoid the behavior… what could be simpler? Yet situations can become so clouded with extenuating circumstances that from our limited, human perspective there appears to be no “right” solution. (How many times have we prayed for God to open our eyes or “give us eyes to see” what He wants us to do?) To someone who frequently asks God to slam every door but the one He wants me to take and then shove me through that one, Satan’s promise to Eve rings hollow: “Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” What an empty promise – and how much simpler to have been content to know only the good, and do that!