Read:
Paul had never been to Colossae—a city in Asia Minor, in what is modern day Turkey. He’d been to places like Ephesus, Iconium, and Lystra, but not Colossae. The people there heard about Jesus Christ through a man named Epaphras, who had been in Ephesus and later shared the Good News with them. Epaphras told the Colossians about Christ, and he told Paul about the Colossians. Even though Paul had never met them, he knew they had faith in God and a deep love for God’s people.
Before Paul dives into teaching the people at Colossae or addressing the false ideas they were hearing, he starts by letting them know something important: he prays for them.
It’s never wrong to pray for someone’s financial needs, illness, or relationships. God cares about every detail of our lives, and he wants us to bring it all to him. But Paul’s recorded prayers often go deeper than immediate needs. He may not have known exactly what specific people in Colossae were facing at that moment, but his prayers were universal—and if we prayed these kinds of prayers for our friends, the impact would only be good.
Paul asked God to give them wisdom and understanding so their lives would please God and produce fruit—so their lives would make their faith in God and love for others easy to see. He prayed for strength, endurance, and patience. (We all need more of that!) He also prayed they would be filled with joy and gratitude for all God had done.
And what had God done? Paul writes:
“He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”
No wonder joy and gratitude overflowed from his prayers!
Pray: Dear God, please help me live in a way that makes my faith and love easy to see. Thank you for changing my life. Help me share that hope so others can experience it, too! Amen.