AP

Colossians 1:9-10  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, …

We benefit greatly from the legacy of the Apostle Paul, not only from the Holy Spirit-inspired Scriptures that come to us through him (cf 2 Peter 3:15-16), but also his godly example.

One such example is the importance he placed on prayer.  (A very helpful book showing this is “A Prayer Journey with the Apostle Paul”, by Michael Green.)  Not only was he in constant prayer for the fledgling churches he was instrumental in planting and nurturing, but he appreciated the help he himself received and depended upon, through the faithful prayers of other believers.  He wrote to the Church in Philippi: “But what does it matter?  The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached.  And because of this I rejoice.  Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance” (Philippians 1:18-19).

In the light of Paul’s example, do we pray regularly for one another, “asking God to fill [us] with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding … in order that [we] 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.”?  The cultural situation in which God has called us to serve and witness today is not unlike the situation confronting Paul.  With all the misinformation and humanistic worldview that constantly impacts our minds we certainly need, more than ever, for God to “fill [us] with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding”, and with all the ungodly temptations and peer pressures that surround us we certainly need all the help we can get to “live a life worthy of the Lord” and to “please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God”!

And this reminds me of the greater struggles our brothers and sisters in Christ are having in places where there are conflicts, persecution and ‘natural’ disasters – so are we also regularly upholding them in prayer?  I like the story of the man who exercised a powerful healing ministry, who, when being introduced to speak at a conference, was asked the ‘leading question’, “Do you believe in the power of prayer?”, and he replied, “No, I don’t.  I believe in the power of God … and therefore I pray.”  Do you, on both counts?

– Bruce Christian