Colossians 1: 3-12
Paul is still encouraging these Christians at Colossae, before he gets into the real purpose of this letter.
(3) We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
(4) since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;
(5) because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel
(6) which has come to you,
He is thankful that God saved these brothers and sisters, and although he has not yet met them, he is praying for them, having heard that they believed, and displayed their faith in love for one another. Because of these, he is confident that they now have waiting for them in heaven what they learned about when the gospel was preached to them.
just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;
This is the same gospel that is being preached throughout the whole known world of that time, and, having understood it, they are now growing in the Lord and producing fruit.
(7) just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,
(8) and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Epaphras is the one who had gone to Colossae with the gospel, and told Paul about them.
Now we will learn how Paul is praying for these new Christians.
(9) For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
(10) so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
(11) strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
(12) giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Paul prays from the time he first heard of them, that their knowledge and understanding would increase, because they will need this wisdom to be strengthened in the Lord, to be able to live their lives as royal children in God's household, patiently standing fast.
And to give joyous thanks to the Father, because they will share in the saints' inheritance in the realm of Light.
Paul will continue to encourage these Colossians with more knowledge of our Lord, before he begins to mention the errors and seductions they are facing in the next chapter.
O my Father, You are so good to save people when they turn to You. Paul never met some of the people he wrote letters to, yet he could discern what they needed to hear and know, and in extension, that we also need to know.
Father, help us to have a clear understanding of what Paul is writing here to the Colossians. Let us see who You are, and who Your Son is, and how You see us, and what Jesus has accomplished for us. Deepen our comprehension of Your plans for us and Your grand Plan of the Ages, so that we will confidently comply with Your plans for us, and we will promote Your Kingdom to the best of the ability that You have given us.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
