To live we need to pray...Colossians 1:9-14

Colossians 1:9-14
9For 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. 10And 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, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[a] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption,[b] the forgiveness of sins.

Because of the Colossians faith in Christ and love for the saints, Paul has not stopped praying for them...and he is praying for knowledge, but not just worldly knowledge, but spiritual knowledge and wisdom, which Iwould suggest probably reflects on the knowledge that he speaks about in 1 Corinthians 1 that is foolishness to those who are perishing bt is the pwower of God to those who are saved...which fits with vs. 11ff. This is a continual understanding of Christ crucified. The reason that Paul prays for continual understanding, is so that there would be continual growth in the way they live...which leads me to this reality, good actions are results of good thinking, under the power of Jesus Christ. I'm afraid that far too often I have neglected the work of developing my mind...and I wonder why I struggle so much with my actions at times. The reality is, as Paul so often creates the tension, that while we are called to wrestle with this, to work with this, it is done only on the power which God gives, and this creates endurace, patience and joy. How often do these go hand in hand? Endurance and patience imply difficulties and frustrations, but by the grace of God, joy is also a part of this journey. Lord, I pray for joy along with endurance and patience. It is rare that these three traits go hand in hand in my life. It seems to me that at least in part, our endurance, patience and joy come from His strengthening, which is a result of His forgiveness. I don't think I meditate enough on the reality that I have been saved from the "dominion of darkness". This is serious and real. How often do I call my students to meditate on this reality? Lord, thank-you for your saving work...How good are You!!