Memorize: Expectant prayer and greetings
Key Verses: 3, 6, 16, 18
As Paul wraps up his letter to the Colossian church, his heart is drawn to prayer. You can find out a lot about a person’s relationship with God and with others when you listen in to their prayers. Listen to Paul’s. Paul wants them to pray for him, not for more wealth or health, but for more effective ministry. What do you ask others to pray for when you are asked? Do you ever ask others what they want you to lift up in prayer? Maybe this is a habit worth adopting as our own. Maybe we should be asking for prayer and praying for each other. Could it be that we don’t really believe prayer makes a difference?
Sometimes we miss changes to share the hope we have in Christ. Paul says that we need to be wise in dealing with non-believers. We often fail to maintain our new standing in Christ, and instead speak and act from the old nature. We need wisdom when talking with non-believers in order to make the most of every opportunity.
Remember, God can defend Himself. When people attack, most often then do it out of pain and deep questioning. If we answer too quickly, without really hearing the root of their question, we will miss the mark. A soft, slow response like, “It seems like you have thought a lot about this. Tell me more.” This would open up many more doors than a rapid defense. If we stand solid in Christ, do we need to worry that their arguments will sway us away from the Truth? Listen to their stories. Listen to their reasoning. Then, perhaps, ask them how their view of the world is helping them with the difficult issues of the world like starvation, war, death and injustice. If you have listened, and ask out of a sincere desire to understand them, it will open up their heart to further discussions.
Paul seems to have had a genuine concern for people. He certainly knew many and drew some to help him in his work. Who do you in your corner? To whom do you reach out when things get tough? Who do you call when good or bad news arrives? If you don’t have a few people, perhaps now is the time to begin creating a team, an inner circle of friends.
Notice that Paul wants this letter passed around to the other churches in the area. The truths shared are not just for the Colossian believers. They are for us as well. Christ holds the first place in the Universe. There is no one higher than He is. We need to acknowledge Him in our lives, and give Him that rightful place in our everyday living.
Paul signs the letter with his own handwriting. The custom of the time was to dictate letters to someone who would write down what you said. Paul wanted to make sure his readers knew he approved the content of his letter. Sounds like the taglines on the end of political commercials, doesn’t it! “I’m Daffy Duck, and I approved this message.”
Review: Romans
The Arnold Journey 