Daily Devotion, May 10, 2023

 

Devotion:

Read Colossians 1:9-10.

Each Wednesday morning for over twenty-five years, there is a small group of people who meet to pray for the names on our church’s prayer list. Today’s verses remind me of this group’s continual and faithful praying for each person on every day of the week! Our prayer list includes individuals who are grieving, sick, have unspoken requests or are in the military.

Paul and Timothy’s prayers for the ones in the church at Colossae are of a different nature. These prayers are petitions for God to give them everything they need “so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” They are praying for these new believers and followers of Christ “to be filled with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.” 

These prayers from Paul and Timothy for the people of the church of Colossae are focused on growing and deepening their faith in God, through gifts of wisdom and understanding from the Spirit. This is so that the good work that they do will bear much fruit and be pleasing to God.

In “The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary” Dr. Andrew T. Lincoln writes, “These reports of prayers of thanksgiving and intercession teach us about holding individuals and communities before God in the whole of their relationship with God for their real spiritual well-being and progress.”

In the 1700’s John Wesley wrote of his understanding of growing in God’s grace as prevenient grace, justifying grace and sanctifying grace. Dr. James W. Fowler, in his book, Stages of Faith (1981) describes 7 stages of faith. In their simplest terms these faith stages move us from being centered on self, to being centered in God for service unto others. Faith growth is not bound by our age. This growth in faith and grace is possible at any age!

Personal Worship Option:

This, “Bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God”, moves us beyond ourselves to more closely follow in the footsteps of Christ to love and serve others. Praying for others in the same way that Paul and Timothy prayed for others opens us to even more prayer possibilities! Today, who or what group is God leading you to pray for growth in faith and grace, through the Spirit’s gifts of wisdom and understanding?