‘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.’
(Colossians 1 v. 6 – 14)
We had a WONDERFUL time on Monday evening, at our bible encounter – looking at this first section of Colossians. Do join us, if you can, on the next three Monday evenings as we work our way through.
We were struck by the WAY Paul prays for the young church there in Colossae – a church he’d probably never visited, and people, many of whom he only knew by name.
He prays for
DEEPER KNOWLEDGE – of God’s presence and purposes
SPIRITUAL WISDOM – the gift of discernment, and knowing the right path
STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE – through God’s power and love
PATIENCE AND JOY – abiding in God’s presence, and waiting on His Spirit
And
verse 14 is a summary of the gospel good-news, our being rescued – from darkness into light – from hopelessness into thanksgiving – from sin and brokenness into forgiveness and healing
PRAYER for TODAY:
Father,
teach us how to pray
for one another, and for the church – local and global
that we may grow as disciples
become more effective (fruitful) in our witness and service
and be beacons of light, hope, joy, peace
in all the world.
AMEN.