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“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.  Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ,which has come to you as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.”  Colossians 1:3-6 (ESV)

Chained and bound, Paul  found himself in a dark prison cell.  From the moment of his incredible conversion on the road to Damascus, this once hater of Christians, had freely walked miles to share the truth of Jesus Christ and the hope now living in him.  And what a deep passion and love Paul had for the body of Christ – the church.  He took great joy in hearing of their faithfulness.  Not a seed of jealousy or competition.  Not an ounce of regret or frustration with being behind bars.  Fully content and devoted to encouraging others – using his time intentionally  rather than zeroing in on self.

One of the things which amazes me the most about Paul’s letter to the Colossians is he never met them.  He had heard of their faith from Epaphras who planted this church, but Paul never saw them face to face.  And yet, he fervently prayed over them, encouraged them and poured out truth through his letter seeking to foster growth in their lives for the glory of God.

Several thoughts come to mind as I read Paul’s introduction to the church in Colosse:

Who am I praying for?  Do I only pray for those I know personally or do my prayers extend to those I’ve only heard of (persecuted believers in Afghanistan, missionaries, etc.)?

How do I respond when others are flourishing?  Do I get jealous because my fruit appears to be dormant or standing still?  Or do I rejoice with God over the abundance of fruit in their lives.

How do I handle moments of discouragement or isolation?  Do I give up or do I seek an avenue for God to use me in the midst of my circumstances?

Do I stand firmly on the truth of the gospel or do I compromise what I believe and grab hold to popular beliefs?

Lots of thought provoking questions.  Ones we can easily overlook if we don’t settle down and examine the heart of Paul.  One who loved his brothers and sisters in Christ. One whose devotion to the truth of the gospel – the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ – was his driving force.  One who was firmly rooted and planted in the Word of God. One who seized every opportunity to strengthen the spread of the gospel – all for God’s glory.

Bottom line, lets choose to follow in Paul’s example.  Don’t give up when times get hard or in moments when we feel silenced. Instead may we use those opportunities to pray fervently for and encourage the body of Christ.

“Father, what a beautiful picture we see in Paul of Your deep abiding love for us.  Forever encouraging and strengthening us as we walk in faith. Thank You for Your daily presence and for drawing us close to Your heart.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life