January 17
Colossians 1:11 extends one of Paul’s great prayers for people who embrace the salvation of Christ. Here he says, “May you be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience and with joy.” Of that short prayer, four words leap out: strength, power, might, joy.
If we focus on just those words we might be confused when trials come our way; if we overlook the rest of the prayer, we might fail to grasp the purpose for which Jesus is extending His strength, power, might, and joy. Read in its entirety, we see that Paul is praying we appropriate those things in our dire moments.
If we haven’t a trial to overcome, we haven’t much to endure. If we haven’t besetting circumstances to face in life, we will have no need of patience. To endure, to be patient, are two things most of humankind distains. We don’t want to be subjected to trials, to ordeals that require our patient endurance.
We want life to be replete with blessings, to be lavished with prosperity. We want the fine things of time and the promises of eternity! We’d like the good things here to last into long, healthy, happy lives. Paul’s prayer for us covers the unpleasant eventualities; he prays our strength and joy endure the rough places.
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