Often in my life as a parent, one of my children will ask me a question. I enjoy this time of give and take. It’s a time when I can learn from them while they are learning from me. With that said, however, some of their questions prompt me to ask “why?” Why do you want to know that? Why do you want permission to go there? Why do you want money or the keys to the car? Every parent can identify with that kind of conversation.
When Paul prayed for the Colossians, He prayed, that they “may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9, HCSB). Why? What was his goal for them? He prayed that they might know God’s will so they would, “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing ⌊to Him⌋, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10, HCSB).
Paul’s desire for the Colossians was not merely that they would accumulate more insight and wisdom. Rather, his desire was that they would live out what they discerned to be God’s will. Thus, Paul prays that his Colossian brothers and sisters would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. He wanted them to do what they knew God wanted them to do. As they did, their lives would be pleasing to God, and demonstrate the fruit of that relationship. And, the deeper their discipleship manifested itself, the more they would in turn grow in their knowledge God.
Paul presents a beautiful symmetrical picture. We grow in our understanding of God’s will, and thus we live right. We live right, and thus we grow in our understanding of God. It really is a glorious thought to pray on behalf of others, or to have prayed on our behalf. The product of our increasing knowledge of God’s desire for our lives is a life worthy of Him. We are not simply to continue to develop a spiritual checklist of all that God wants us to do. We are to live those desires out in our lives. That’s a life worthy and pleasing to God. A devoted life is a productive life. As we grow in our knowledge of God’s direction for our lives, may we live it out faithfully and triumphantly. May all that we do please and honor Him. May our lives bear the fruit only He can produce (John 15:7-8), and the knowledge only He can give (Ecclesiastes 2:26).