For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 

Colossians 1:9-12

This is another one of the awesome prayers in the run-on-sentence-style that rings true of the Pauline Epistles; it echoes and condenses those prayers found in  Ephesians 1:15-23 and 3:14-21. It is a rich passage and great material for personal prayer, intercessory prayer, and prayers of blessings to the fellow saints.

Most likely a dissertation on each of these sentences would be more appropriate to dig into the depth of meaning; for me, a few blog posts. But for today, one will have to do.

What strikes me most today is Colossians 1:9a: “since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you.”  What an amazing thought! Can you even imagine being one of the members of the church at Colosse hearing this message that Paul and all of his friends, who planted the church at Ephesus, were always praying for you? Wow. It gives you great pause.

My current church, Calvary Chapel Seaside is a church plant from Calvary Chapel Pacific Hills; we are always thrilled that they pray for us.  It would be analogous if we heard that Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa was always praying for our church.

People they never met were praying for them.  This is one of my favorite parts of the internet, social media, more specifically Twitter. I have so many people praying for me that I never met in person who are faithful to do so. We exchange prayer requests with our tweeting (among other topics). Anytime there is an urgent need a prayer request is tweeted out and retweeted and retweeted.  It’s a giant, organic, living prayer chain.

Even better than that we have a high priest who ever lives to pray for us.

Questions for Further Thought:

• What is your impression of this passage?
• Which verse strikes you the most?
• Have you prayed for a “stranger?”  Is a “stranger” praying for you?
• Verses to Look Up
  • Ephesians 1:15-23
  • Ephesians 3:14-21
  • Hebrews 7:25
  • Romans 8:27
  • Romans 8:34
  • 1 Timothy 2:1