So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:13
And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Colossians 1:9-12
Today we are going to take a departure from our unit on “Called to Love,” to examine a few verses from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians. I have been blessed to lead a women’s Bible study for the past seven years. This year, we are studying the Epistle to the Colossians, and the other day, during our session, we studied the above verses, and in our discussion, were commenting on how the thoughts could become a beautiful prayer for someone. The Epistle to the Colossians is very brief, is not often heard in our church services, and is not as well known to us as other Epistles like I Corinthians (love is patient and kind-I Corinthians 13) or Philippians (I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me-Philippians 4). As we were studying, it felt like we found this beautiful prayer hidden in Scripture. Oftentimes, we struggle to find the words to say in prayer, whether offering a prayer for ourselves or someone else. Looking at these verses, a powerful and profound prayer can be found in them. These words capture many of the things we should be praying for, whether we are praying for ourselves or someone else. These verses are in the “greeting” of the letter, the introductory words of St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians. This letter was written while St. Paul was imprisoned. They capture his passion for prayer, and the specific things he prays for in regard to the church in Colossae, prayers that are still relevant for any church and any Christians today. This is why we still read the Epistles, because the struggle of the early church are still our struggles today.
St. Paul assures the Colossians that he prays continually for them, and he prays for specific things. First, he asks that they may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Before we can live a Christian life, we have to understand what a Christian life is. The first thing St. Paul prays for is for the Colossians to just have knowledge.
The next thing he prays for is application of that knowledge as a live worthy of the Lord. The word “worthy” has two meanings. Worthy means “entitled” but also means “appropriate.” We are never “worthy” of the Lord in the sense that we are entitled to Him. No one is worthy to receive Holy Communion. This is precisely why we use the word “receive” when it comes to Holy Communion, though many people still use the verb “take,” they say they are “taking Communion.” We take out of a sense of entitlement. We receive out of a sense of gratitude, knowing that we are unworthy, but somehow still permitted by the grace of God. The second definition of “worthy” is “appropriate,” and this is the meaning St. Paul intends here. We are to live a life that is “appropriate” in the eyes of God. Just like the appropriate response when someone gives a gift is to offer gratitude, a life worthy of God is one that is lived with gratitude, with love towards God, and with love towards others. Knowledge without application is useless. Application is not possible without knowledge. Having prayed for the knowledge of God’s will, St. Paul prays that people live a life worthy of God, applying knowledge to practice.
Next, he prays for the Colossians to bear fruit and increase in understanding. Knowledge of God helps us to bear spiritual fruit. More knowledge means more fruit. St. Paul prays for not only knowledge and application, but for deeper knowledge and even more application.
A life in Christ brings with it temptation. Every life, with Christ or without, brings temptation. That is part of the fallen world. The very dedicated Christian life is often beset with greater temptation. The last thing the devil wants is more committed Christians, so his most vicious attacks are ironically on the people who believe the most. Thus, St. Paul prays for strength, as well as endurance and patience, with the spiritual attacks that often follow one who is deepening his or her commitment to the Lord.
St. Paul prays for joy. The deepening of knowledge, living a life pleasing to the Lord, and thwarting temptation are all very spiritually intense works. St. Paul prays for every follower of Christ to find joy in the journey. Finally, he prays for our destination, that we may be qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He doesn’t pray for a specific outcome of a day or a circumstance. Rather, he prays for everyone to share the inheritance of the saints, to attain to the Kingdom of God.
Taken all together, these ideas form a nice prayer. They don’t pray for specific outcomes, but they pray for Christian development and strengthening. This is why they constitute a good prayer for us and for anyone for whom we wish to pray. If you know someone who is sick or in need, this prayer can be used. Because this prayer does not direct or expect God to offer a certain outcome. Rather, it leaves the outcome to God’s will, which is where it belongs (Thy will be done). And it asks God to bless and strengthen lives, irrespective to which degree one is struggling. Today’s prayer is for everyone reading this message, incorporating the words in Colossians 1:9-12.
Lord our God, strengthen your servant (insert your name or anyone you wish to pray for) so that he/she/I may be filled with the knowledge of Your will, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, that he/she/I may lead a life worthy of You, pleasing You, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May he/she/I be strengthened with all power, according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience, may he/she/I doe this with joy, giving thanks to You, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Amen.
Sometimes the best prayers are just beneath the surface of a Scripture passage. In this case, a prayer of St. Paul over the church of Colossae is still a perfect prayer to offer over ourselves and others.
**Dedicated to the Women’s Bible Study of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, Tampa, FL.
