Colossians__1

Scripture  Colossians 1:9-12  We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and 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 giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.  Observation-What does it say?  The town of Colossae is near Ephesus, in present day Turkey.  Paul was most likely writing to the church while he was in prison, either in Ephesus or in Rome.  Though he had never visited the church here, he had heard there was much to be thankful for.  But, there was still area for concern, as they were introducing ideas and practices from other philosophies and religions.  This is a practice that is common to this day.  While it can be innocent in nature, this practice can take away God’s supremacy as we lean on the wisdom of ourselves and other men.  In opening his letter, Paul both praises them for their faith and prays for their wisdom and knowledge to grow deeper.  The knowledge Paul speaks of is not just the possession of facts, but the practical knowledge associated with godly living. Understanding-What does it mean?  When I was in my early twenties, I spent a lot of time wondering and worrying about where my life was headed.  I would have times of prayer where I would ask God to reveal his will for my life, as if He were a GPS that would give me the step by step directions from now until death.  Thankfully God never gave me such a road map, and my faith in Him has grown because of it.  Besides, I probably wouldn’t have followed the directions even if he gave them to me.     I still have times where I start asking the same questions, but they come less often.  I get to move in life  with the assurance that comes with the experiences of God caring for me and providing for me.  Furthermore, I have learned to search God’s word for answers to these questions and often found answers to these questions in practices that God asks us to live out.  God reveals His will for us in directions like those give to the Thesalonians, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thesalonians 5:18).  We also see this same knowledge given to us through James, Jesus’ brother, when he wrote “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).   As we seek to follow the directions found in scripture and grow in the knowledge found within, our individual purpose seems to take shape.  Furthermore, as we grow in our faith through this knowledge, the next step becomes less important. This is when God fills us with the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Life Application: Jesus, when I start to feel anxious about the future, help me to look to your word.  Fill me with your peace, which only comes through your knowledge.  Help me to rely on this knowledge everyday, so I can live out your love and share it with my neighbors and with your body, the church.       

 

-Tyler Galloway