WE GIVE THANKS . . . PRAYING ALWAYS FOR YOU

This letter is addressed to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ in Colosse. As saints they were separated to God from the world, and as a result lived sanctified lives as faithful brethren. This causes the Apostle to commence his prayer with thanksgiving and praise, a practice we would do well to follow. His prayer is addressed to God. Contemplate the fact that the God of the universe can be approached. This is a tremendous privilege. When we approach ‘in the name of the Lord Jesus’, 3. 17, the One who is infinitely high, becomes infinitely nigh.

Paul prays for these saints that he has never seen; but he has heard of their faith, love, and hope - the three cardinal virtues of the Christian life mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 13, and 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 3 and in chapter 5 verse 8. He looks back with a thankful heart to their initial faith in Christ Jesus. He rejoices in their present love for all saints, and future hope of entering into eternal inheritance.

The gospel of God’s grace had reached the Colossians and brought blessings, not least this glorious hope; all of which had been bestowed by the grace of God in truth. In this place, and wherever the gospel was preached in the known world of the day, it bore fruit. The gospel bore fruit in the salvation of souls and the building up of the believers. This should be our prayer for the local assembly in our locality, and beyond.

Epaphras who brought the message to them is commended as a dear fellow servant and a faithful minister of Christ to them. Servants of God in our day are faithfully and fervently seeking to reach others with this same life-giving message, and it is our privilege and duty to uphold them before the throne of grace.

Paul’s example of ‘praying always’ is one to be followed, for it is essential that we maintain with regularity our prayer support for other Christians. What encouragement must have been given to those Colossians by Paul’s assurance that daily they figured in his prayers! The God of the universe is always available to respond to the urgent, incessant prayers of the people -He takes delight in their thanksgiving.

‘What love to Thee we owe,
our God, for all Thy grace!
Our hearts may well o’erflow
in everlasting praise’, [ANN GILBERT].