Paul’s Prayer For The Colossians
“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory unto all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light…” (Col. 1:9-12).
These verses express Paul’s pray for the Colossians. Here he prayed that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will; they might walk worthily of the Lord; they might bear fruit in every good work and that they might be strengthened with all patience. He also thanked the Father that He had made them (us) to be suitable to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints. In his letter to the Ephesians, written and sent at the same time, his petition was similar. He prayed God would give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him that they might perceive what was their hope; how great were the prospects of their inheritance and how great was God’s power which could work in them (us) (Eph. 1:17-19). His prayer for Philippians was little different (Phil. 1:9-11).
In each of these appeals Paul’s first petition was that they might know God’s will and knowing it, perceive or understand the full implications that will reveals. He prayed for the Colossians that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Were this to happen, they would understand their real hope and how great it was. The hope of Christians is not for this world; it is for a better world. In chapter three the apostles appeals that they lay up their treasuries in heaven (3:11). He reminded Philippians their citizenship was in heaven (Phil. 3:20). He told Corinthians that “if we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable” (1 Cor. 15:19).
Hope is the anchor of our soul (Hb. 6:19). The blessed hope of the resurrection from the dead is quickened in us by Jesus’ resurrection (1 Pet. 1:3-5). When our lives become muddled and frustrations assail us, if we fully perceive what our hope is, we are less likely to turn loose of our hope.
His second petition for these Colossians that they “might walk worthily of the Lord…” was his concern, care and appeal to disciples everywhere. He urged Ephesians to “walk worthily” of their calling (Eph. 4:1f). He begged Romans that they “not be conformed to this world; rather that they be transformed” (Rm. 12:1f). An appeal to any that they walk as children of light was an appeal to godly living. If the prospect of a resurrection and fellowship with God has impact upon us, it stirs us to determine we will live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world (Ti. 2:11). Gratitude for God accepts nothing less than such a determination.
Efforts to walk worthy of God will bear fruit. Just as John called on his nation to bring forth “Fruit worthy of repentance”; so one who determines to walk worthily of God will bear fruit, the result of such determination. While Paul particularly appeal to the rich to be “rich in good works” he made the same appeal to all who claim to be the Lord’s people.
Jim McDonald
