Paul Prays for the Colossians

Paul’s prayers, you’d think, are of significance. Maybe none more so than the prayers he prayed for the nascent community in Christ in Colossae (south-west Turkey today). 1.3-14

To begin with, he was thankful for their faith in Christ and their love for all the saints. This, he said, was due to the hope laid up for them beyond the fragile borders of this world – in heaven. Their hope was not in better conditions but in a better world. They were long-sighted, therefore patient.  1.3-8

Possibly our impatience is because we are short-sighted. We find it difficult to see beyond this present age, into the age of the realised justice of God and the revealed glory of God in Christ. To the Colossians a vision of Jesus, who he was and what this meant, sustained them. If we see Jesus Christ as Lord, creator, reconciler, he who sustains all things, the head of the church, we see a Jesus of the Pauline tradition/revelation, and it is unlikely anything pertaining to this life, will ever be able to quite do it for us again.  1.15-20

Paul continues, praying for them to be filled with “the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” This is not an esoteric or mystical state of spiritual insight, disconnected from daily life; far from it. The knowledge of God’s will leads to a life worthy of the Lord. This is a life of moral integrity and practical holiness. These are major and consistent themes in Paul’s understanding of any person in Christ. 

This results in “fruit in every good work, as you grow in the knowledge of God.” Ethical behaviour comes from knowing God -  ethical behaviour is fuelled by genuine spiritual insight.  Paul grounds spirituality in the daily lives of the believers, how they act towards one and another (and those not in Christ). He later refers to a false understanding of spirituality that only leads to ascetic practises, and not genuine life change that reflects the nature and will of Jesus Christ. 2.16-23

Paul’s prayer concludes with him asking God to make the believers strong by his, God’s, glorious power. This power has the direct effect of helping God’s people endure everything with patience.  The point of Paul’s prayer point is not indomitable humans, impervious to the vicissitudes of life, but in people who develop the slow grace of patience, as they joyfully endure what comes their way. Neither, of course, is this suggesting we simply acquiesce to whatever comes our way. But life has many twists and turns that can’t be prayed away, as they are the very means by which God transforms us into creatures of love, patience and joy. 

All this being true, do we pray the same prayers for ourselves, and for others as Paul did? Paul’s prayers were for holiness, fruitfulness (good works) and joyful patience - not popular themes then or today.