To me, prayers are very revealing - they accentuate very often what is at the centre of a person’s life. Paul’s prayer to the church at Colossi unveils, to us, some of the important values that he had experienced and held true about the Christian life. Outside of the Lord’s Prayer or the Disciples Prayer, it is my favourite prayer in scripture. It embodies pastoral wisdom and care. I have included the New Living Translation for you to read…
“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” Colossians 1:9-14 NLT
To me, this prayer gives us some encouraging dynamics to mold our prayer lives. This is the way it encouraged me…
Prayer is a privilege; it is a powerful demonstration of grace and love. We need to make it a lifestyle issue. When God leads, simply pray, and let others know you are praying for them.
Pray that we would all grow in “spiritual wisdom and understanding” as we live in God’s will. Our goal as Christians is to simply be in God’s will.
As we walk in God’s will and apply “spiritual wisdom and understanding: we will “honour and please the Lord.” We will do things that reflect the word of God (Bible) living through us.
We will “bear fruit.” It will be good fruit and pleasing fruit that will encourage and benefit others. It will draw glory to God. And as Paul says, “All the while, (we|) will grow as (we) learn to know God better”.
The above process could be described as putting on some spiritual muscle. As we live this way daily, we will be strengthened so that we can stand in the difficult times. We will, have, as Paul says, “all the endurance and patience we need.” As many of you know life presents us, from time to time, with some real challenges. Spending time in God’s weight room will help carry us through.
And, the goal is that we would be “filled with joy”, God’s strength and inner peace; That His grace would be sufficient, His Spirit would be in control.
Finally, that we would understand the mercy and grace of God in our salvation. The riches and the glorious “inheritance” that we have in Him. Thank Him, daily, for His love in dying for you. Thank Him, daily, for His love in all he has done in empowering you. Thank Him, daily, for His love and the glorious future He has in store for you. Remember, you are a trophy of His grace.
May Paul’s prayer encourage us as we pray for one another and ourselves. May it equip us as better stewards of His grace. Keep up the good work! Thank you for your prayers.
In His love,
Pastor Ralph
