Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Colossians 1:9-12 speaks of how the apostle prays for the Colossians. As we read this passage we realize that many of our prayer requests fall far short of what the Lord might have for us. For in this passage the apostle prays for the Colossians, “asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (ESV). There is no hint of praying for their financial well being, for their temporal needs, even for their temporal safety. What’s going on here? Is the apostle uncaring about the things that most of us agree mattera great deal when the rubber meets the road?
The fact is, as we are filled with knowledge of God’s will, we see what is of Him and what is not. As we have spiritual wisdom and understanding we find a sense of purpose. We realize what will be helpful in this world and what will hinder God’s people from thriving. We realize that there are certain ways that we live in community and which will be good and right. As we learn from God’s wisdom how to walk in a way that is worthy and pleasing to God, we conduct our lives in such a way that the Lord’s good will becomes apparent. He works in us. He works through us. We bear fruit for Him, and that fruit is described in Galatians as the fruit of the Spirit. We do good works, which, as I often remind people, are good. Our knowledge of God grows and we live according to His plan and concerns more and more easily.
I’m going to depart from my normal blogging mode and ask that my readers pray for me and for others in this way. We need it. We really need to have God’s wisdom to walk according to His plan. Please, pray for me and the work of Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry, that this will be how our life in community can be described. And we encourage one another. I pray the Lord will work likewise in you. Grace to you all today.
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