A Life Worthy

OPENING PRAYER:

Mighty God, knowing you is the only reward I ever seek. I praise you and I love you.

READ: COLOSSIANS 1:9-14

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Footnotes

[a] Colossians 1:9 Or all spiritual wisdom and understanding

[b] Colossians 1:12 Some manuscripts us

COLOSSIANS 1:9-14

REFLECT:

Wisdom is not the same as cleverness; it’s about making choices. What tough choices or decisions are facing you today? Take a moment to reflect on them, asking God for wisdom as you seek to live for him. Paul is asking the Colossians to think carefully about how they choose to live and act in a complex world with competing voices. Right at the start of this letter he is calling them to stop and think, so that their lives are considered, not accidental.

This is as much about theology as it is about daily life. Paul wants the members of this young church to be fruitful, strong, joyful, resilient and loving. These qualities are not the result of thoughtless actions that are set by a worldly agenda. Our lives can only look like that if we bring energy and discipline to how we think and act every day (see Romans 12:2). Thankfully, we don’t have to squeeze that out ourselves. We have been forgiven, rescued, and redeemed (vs 12-14). His Spirit is with us for each breath and each step. It’s not about being perfect, but being faithful.

We can’t do this on our own! We need God’s Holy Spirit to strengthen and change us from within (v 9). We also need God’s people (the church) to challenge and change us from without, through a mixture of teaching and service (vs 9-11).

APPLY:

Are you growing under sound teaching? Are you growing through service to others? Ask God to guide and help you on both fronts.

CLOSING PRAYER:

Gracious Father, I ask for godly thinking which leads to godly living. I want to honor and please you as I journey through life.

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