Colossians 1:1 – This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. May God our Father give you grace and peace.

We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.

You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

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. 10 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.

11 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, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (NLT)

Today’s reading comes from the opening verses of Paul’s letter to the Church in Colossae.  The letter opens as most of Paul’s letters open – with Paul giving thanks for the church, and then his prayers for them. 

In verse nine, Paul writes that he and his companions had been faithfully praying for the Colossians.  He then states what their prayers have been asking: “We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding” (verse 9).  It may be that Paul chose the words of this verse to set up his letter which would, in part, discuss doctrinal issues.  Nonetheless, we can ask for nothing greater than to have spiritual wisdom and understanding.  

Christians ask for many things through prayer.  I always find it interesting when I see someone praying before a sporting event.  Yes, the person could indeed be praying for safety, and that the players would be sportsman like.  I wonder sometimes, though, if they are praying for a win!  We must be careful in our prayer life.  Not that it is wrong to pray before a sporting event, indeed, I would like to see more of it – I just desire for all people to have the right motives for their prayers.

After Paul prays for the Colossians to have knowledge, spiritual wisdom and understanding, he then shares what his motive was for such a prayer: “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” (verse 10). 

We pray for many things.  Let’s also pray that we – and other Christians – would gain spiritual wisdom and understanding so that we will always honor and please the Lord!

Posted by Ramón Torres