Colossians 1:9-11 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so 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.
There is a difference between being filled with the knowledge of God's will, and knowing God.
As I read this passage this morning, it smacked me in the face as a culmination of a lot of the things that I have been praying about and meditating on over the last 6 months or so.
I noticed today that as Paul prayed for the Colossians, he makes a very similar statement in 2 different places. I have never noticed the profound difference in the wording of these statements until today. In verse 9 he says that he's asking that they may be filled with the knowledge of His will. In other words, he's praying that God would open their eyes to understand what God wants from them- to see things from God's perspective.
Let me digress for a moment: What an amazing thing to pray for ourselves and others!!!! God's understanding of what we as His children need is so much greater than we can understand ourselves. God, please open our eyes to understand Your will better; and may our prayer for others be driven by that same desire to see their eyes opened to a greater understanding of Your will for them!
Ok, back on track. In verse 11 Paul's prayer changes to a request that the Colossians would bear good fruit and increase in the knowledge of God. WOW! Do you see the significance of Paul's prayer?
It is an amazing blessing to have our eyes opened- to have a better understanding of God's perspective; but until that knowledge turns into action, we cannot actually know God better. The understanding of God's will is for the purpose of walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work... and increasing in the knowledge of God. Ultimately, God opens our eyes to see His will so that we can bless others and know Him more!
Thank You Lord for opening my eyes through this passage of Scripture. Would You continually fill me with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that I may walk in a manner worthy of You, fully pleasing to You, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of You?!
There is a difference between being filled with the knowledge of God's will, and knowing God.
As I read this passage this morning, it smacked me in the face as a culmination of a lot of the things that I have been praying about and meditating on over the last 6 months or so.
- My prayer should be that God would open my eyes to see the way that He does.
- The fruit of the Spirit is something that grows in my life as I abide in the vine, for the benefit of others
- Experience can be my greatest asset, but it can also be my greatest liability.
- Endurance is a stretching of what I believe; character is the action based on that belief.
- I JUST WANT JESUS!
I noticed today that as Paul prayed for the Colossians, he makes a very similar statement in 2 different places. I have never noticed the profound difference in the wording of these statements until today. In verse 9 he says that he's asking that they may be filled with the knowledge of His will. In other words, he's praying that God would open their eyes to understand what God wants from them- to see things from God's perspective.
Let me digress for a moment: What an amazing thing to pray for ourselves and others!!!! God's understanding of what we as His children need is so much greater than we can understand ourselves. God, please open our eyes to understand Your will better; and may our prayer for others be driven by that same desire to see their eyes opened to a greater understanding of Your will for them!
Ok, back on track. In verse 11 Paul's prayer changes to a request that the Colossians would bear good fruit and increase in the knowledge of God. WOW! Do you see the significance of Paul's prayer?
It is an amazing blessing to have our eyes opened- to have a better understanding of God's perspective; but until that knowledge turns into action, we cannot actually know God better. The understanding of God's will is for the purpose of walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work... and increasing in the knowledge of God. Ultimately, God opens our eyes to see His will so that we can bless others and know Him more!
Thank You Lord for opening my eyes through this passage of Scripture. Would You continually fill me with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that I may walk in a manner worthy of You, fully pleasing to You, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of You?!
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