Quickly jot down five places where you would experience happiness. Now, check your list. Is “prison” on it anywhere? Paul is writing from a Roman prison around the year 60, long before heat, cable tv and mattresses, not to mention vermin exterminators. And yet, somehow, Paul never stops rejoicing and even giving thanks to God (v3). In that same verse, and all throughout the following verses (v9, for example), Paul mentions over and over that he prays constantly for the members of this predominantly Gentile church of Jesus Christ. Paul was raised in the strictest Jewish teaching and took great pride in considering himself as one of God’s chosen people. That is until he met Jesus who appointed him as an apostle to the Gentiles. Man, talk about a “mind bend”.
The Colossian church was founded by by Epaphras (v7), who received Jesus Christ into his heart in Ephesus during Paul’s 3-year stay there. It is Epaphras who travels all the way to Rome to consult with his beloved mentor due to some, as yet unidentified, heresy which has infiltrated the church. What comes through with great prominence, even with a mere casual read, is Paul’s love for people. What he does is a natural product of genuine love. At no time does Paul indicate that he labors over his prayers for his fellow believers in Christ. Like I said, it’s just what one does when one loves someone.
In the face of something as infectious as heresy, Paul’s prayers include asking God to bless the Colossians with knowledge, understanding, fruitfulness, continual growth, and perhaps most importantly, Paul asks God that they be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might. He prays constantly for these things so that the church, being thus strengthened will have great endurance and patience. He seems to add a cap on this list by inviting the Colossians to join him, in their God-given power and strength, to give thanks to God joyfully in their circumstances as Paul is able to do in his.
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