Read Colossians 1:9-12
Paul begins his letter to the church in Colossae by emphasizing the power of prayer; prayer not just of gratitude for the ways that he has seen God working, but also prayer for the knowledge of God to become ever more prevalent in the minds of the people of the church. Paul has seen and heard of the fruit displayed by these brothers and sisters in Colossae and desires to see that fruit continue to grow, but that first has to come from a place of recognition of what God is speaking to them and the wisdom and understanding that He is continually teaching them:“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (v. 9b). This fruitfulness that the Colossians display comes from their dependence on God and their open ears to hear all of what God has to teach them. Paul prays that their desire for more of God wouldn’t stop when faced with hardship, but that yearning for God would increase more and more and enrich their lives with the wisdom and knowledge that only God can provide.
From that point of leaning into God’s Word, God lavishes worth upon us. This worth is not based upon the views of others, our good virtues and deeds, or any other worldly thing that brings us affirmation. Rather, this worth is built upon God’s pleasure of us choosing to seek Him out and deeply desiring to grow in Him. This worth doesn’t give us the fleeting sense of acclaim that we feel when we do something good. Instead, it allows us to continue in the path of growth, equipping us with the strength, power, endurance, and patience that empowers us to bear wholesome fruit for His glory over our own.
Finally, out of this place of finding our worth in who God is and using that worth to bear fruit in our everyday lives, let us continue to turn back to God with joy and gratitude for endlessly filling us up with more of Him.
For reflection:
- Do you think it is easier or harder to continue to earnestly seek God when you begin to see the fruit of the Spirit showing up in your life? Why?
- How do you think that is connected with how we find our worth and the kind of fruit we bear?
by Clara Mattke (Grade 11)
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