A Prayer of In-tention
Hello Bride of Christ,
As we kick-off this new year together I wanted to share an intention with you all. People often spend time reflecting on the year close and all the possibilities of the new year. Some see opportunity to change or improve, others will keep things just the same, while yet others will challenge themselves to be and do things they never deemed possible. Well regardless of where you see yourself I pray this prayer of intention over all of us.
"that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light." - Colossians 1:9-12
"In" is used several times in the letter of Colossians and the concept is beautiful. "In" such a small word, but has such great meaning. "In" is an expression of a situation of something that is or appears to be enclosed or surrounded by something else. It can also mean an expressed period of time during which an event takes place or a situation remains the case. Take note what Paul prays these saints, including us, "in" would consist.
Filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding | Meaning as the Bride of Christ we would know God's desire for us and this would be enclosed and surrounded by God given knowledge applied (wisdom) and revelations (spiritual understanding). Why would we need our knowledge of God's will for us to be rooted in this wisdom and spiritual understanding?
That we may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God | Paul lets us know that being surrounded with God's wisdom and spiritual understanding impacts how we live our lives. Whether our lives are pleasing to God. Whether our work will be successful. Whether our lives will provide the opportunity to learn more about God. How will we attain this fruitfulness in every good work or increase in our knowledge of God?
Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. | Through Christ. Through Christ glorious power. Through Christ power we tap into the fruits of the spirit: patience, longsuffering, joy. Christ alone has qualified us. Christ alone has given us all we need to inherit God's heritage to the saints. The inheritance of being a chosen people before the foundations of the earth, redeemed in the Beloved to be called children of God, co-heirs with Christ of the kingdom of heaven. No wonder Paul says giving thanks! Gratitude is but the natural response to such great a gift. Now how are we to live our lives?
In the light. An expression of light. Letting all see this marvelous love the Father has bestowed on us through Christ. Living in the light means living boldly without fear of what people may see in us. Living in the light means living as Jesus for He is the life that is the light of men and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it (John 1:4-5).
Bride of Christ, the intention for this new year for us, the Bride of Christ, is that our love in the Spirit will allow us to stay in. Stay in Christ. Stay in Christ that we may bear witness of The Light, that all through us may believe in Him who came that whoever believes in Him will be born again and become children of God therefore being qualified to partake of the inheritance of the saints in the light. It is this concept of "in" where the glory lies. For what good is food, medicine, or water to our bodies if we never put it in our bodies? What good is it to attend the most prestigious school with the best education made available if we do not put it in our minds? What good is it that Christ came into the world, died on the cross, rose again and ascended to the Father, sent His Holy Spirit to dwell among us if we do not intentionally live out of Christ in us? Christ in you and me that is where the glory lies. Join me this year in being in-tentional and rooting everything we choose to walk in to be through Christ in us. A pure outpouring of what Christ is doing within each of us, that many would come to know the perfect man of Christ Jesus.
