A Prayer for the Colossians

THE APOSTLE ST. PAUL had never visited Colosse. The church had been started by Epaphras and other converts from the apostle’s missionary journeys. Unfortunately, the young church had been infiltrated by believers in ‘syncretism’. This is a movement that had been spreading in the region after Christianity arrived there.  Some have been trying to combine elements of paganism and secular philosophy with Christianity. The resulting heresy later came to be known as Gnosticism. (This philosophy survives up to this day under various labels in this country - in the name of tolerance and sufferance) Paul wrote to Colossians to help them withstand against this heresy.

Colossae was the location of a Christian community to which the Apostle Paul addressed  this letter which is known for its content's exaltation of the supremacy of Christianity's namesake. One aim of the letter was to address the challenges that the community faced in its context of the syncretistic Gnostic religions that were developing in Asia minor.

He could not visit Colosse to personally strengthen and encourage them; probably he was arrested before that. Paul wrote this letter from prison. This essay is primarily concerned about the passage in Colossians 1:9-14. Paul starts all his letters with prayers. This is one of the more elaborate of his prayers. Here he prays for virtual strangers; it is a model for us of how to pray for people we don’t know about, as we are sometimes called upon to do. This is also a marvelous prayer that touches all the basics.

11)    Paul prays that the  Colossians must understand what God wants them to do. The purpose of our life on earth is for promoting His work on earth. Jesus asked us to pray “May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10)”. For this we must know what His will for us is. This can be done only when we are committed to Jesus totally. He has named us light of the earth and expects our good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16). Good deeds cannot save us, but we are saved to do good deeds.  According to James, it will be counted as  sin if you know what has to be done and if you don’t do it.. Will you be able to say like the Psalmist “I take joy in doing your will, your will is written in my heart” (Psalms 40:8)?

22)    Paul prays for the church that they gain spiritual wisdom.  Knowing Him is true wisdom. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Read those magnificent passages about wisdom in Proverbs 8:24-36.  Jesus Himself is the personification of wisdom here. Colossians 2:3  says about Jesus “In him are stored all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. 1Corinthians 1.21,24: But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. The world through its wisdom did not know Him; God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. We will never find God through our human wisdom (as Gnosticism advocates) but only by humbling ourselves before Him, confessing our helplessness and declaring our poverty.

33)    The apostle prays that the church must honor and please God.  What does God want from us?  In Micah 6:8 He says “to act with justice, to treasure the LORD's gracious love, and to walk humbly in the company of your God’’. John 3:16 says "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his unique Son so that everyone who believes in him might not be lost but have eternal life”.  Jesus Christ redeemed mankind from the grip of sin by paying the price in blood, and believing in Him is the only way to salvation. Paul pleads with God  Colossian church must believe this and not accept any other means the heretics are recommending.

44)    Paul wants the church to produce every kind of good fruit – the Christian life is about fruitfulness. ‘’I am the true vine’’ Jesus proclaimed in John 15:7, 8  "If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask for anything you want, and you will receive it’’. John 15:6 assures  ‘’This is how my Father is glorified when you produce a lot of fruit and so prove to be my disciples.’’ John the Baptist warned “The axe is kept under the tree. Unyielding trees will be chopped up and thrown in the fire’’; Luke 6:43, 44 says “For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, a bad tree which produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit’’.

55)    The church must learn to know God better and better and resist the heretics who were trying to infiltrate into it, claiming that a superior knowledge is necessary to get closer to God and this is available only to a chosen few.  All the knowledge the church needs is that God loves us and Jesus is the expression of His love. He has no tolerance for sin, but is ready to forgive every repentant sinner. Truth about God is known to men instinctively. Paul asserts in  Romans  1:20  “For since the creation of the world God's invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse”.

66)    He prays the church be strengthened with God’s glorious power: for this purpose, a comforter has been sent, the Holy Spirit who empowers us, strengthens us. When the Spirit came upon them, the disciples were blessed with courage and wisdom.  When warned by authorities not to preach the name of Jesus,  they could defy them and continue to preach the word, travelling all over the empire and abroad.

77)    Paul assures the Colossians that they  will be strengthened with God’s glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance and even the courage to die as martyrs. Endurance develops strength of character – Colossians  1:11 -14 You are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that you might patiently endure everything with joy and might thank the Father, who has enabled them to share in the saints' inheritance in the light. God has rescued us from the power of darkness and has brought us into the kingdom of the Son whom He  loves -- through whom they have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Also see Heb 10:36 - Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised; Jam 1:2 - when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

88)    Paul blesses the church they will be filled with joy.  The Christian life is a joyous life due to the assurance your sins have been forgiven and you have been released from the bondage of the evil one. David said  “if your law had not been my joy, I would have perished in my sorrow”.  David’s joy was so great he had danced on the streets with domestic servants. Jesus asserted there would be great joy in heaven over a single sinner who repents.  Zephaniah says God rejoices when His children are happy. Finally, St Paul wants the church to thank God. Thanksgiving is an essential part of every prayer offered to God. Begin and end your prayers with thanksgiving. Paul was in prison when he wrote the letter to the Philippians, awaiting execution. He mentions ‘rejoicing’ 16 times in the letter’s four short chapters. How enormous his joy would have been!

Paul tells them they must give thanks to God for:

·        Enabling them to share in His inheritance

·        Rescuing them from the kingdom of darkness

·       Transferring them to Son’s kingdom of light

·        Purchasing their freedom

·        Forgiving their sins

All believers have these basic needs. When you don’t know how to pray for someone, use Paul’s prayer pattern for the Colossians.

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