FILLED WITH KNOWLEDGE

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

I love these verses in the 1st chapter of Colossians.

I love that Paul is praying for a church he has never met.

     Churches sometimes operate under the impression that they are in competition with each other. But no - we are all on the same team.

I love that what Paul asks is that God would FILL the people of the church with the knowledge of His will. 

     We settle too easily for surface level knowledge of God and His will. I used to think of God's will only applying to those truly big life decisions - whom should I marry? what career should I pursue? should I take this job or wait for another? These days I understand God's will as functioning on a daily basis. I am starting to truly value beginning my day with prayer and I get some of my best actionable ideas during those times. 

I love that this filling Paul prays for involves spiritual wisdom and understanding. 

     In our rationalistic, scientific culture, we lean too heavily on material understandings and get a little nervous in the presence of the divine. Finding a proper balance takes some work and some time.

I love that the ultimate purpose of being filled with the knowledge of God's will is so that our walk is worthy and God is pleased.

     THIS is living out our purpose as the local Image of God - in our homes, our schools, and our workplaces. We were created for good works, for doing God's will.

And I love that as we act upon this knowledge of God's will, it generates further growth in the knowledge of God. 

It is an upward and widening spiral!