Seven Prayer Requests: To Know God's Will
Scripture: For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Colossians 1:9 (NKJV)
Observation: It seems like there was a want of knowledge among the Colossians, which is why he so often dwells on this subject (Col 1:28; Col 2:2, 3). On the contrary he less extols wisdom to the Corinthians, who were puffed up with the conceit of knowledge.
Wisdom is often mentioned in this Epistle, as opposed to the (false) “philosophy” and “show of wisdom” (Col 2:8, 23; compare Eph 1:8).
Uunderstanding means a sagacity to discern what on each occasion is suited to the place and the time; its seat is “the understanding” or intellect; wisdom is more general and has its seat in the whole compass of the faculties of the person. But knowledge is desirable only when it is seasoned by “spiritual understanding.”
Application: What would we want for those you love most? Money, prestige, power, fame? Or maybe health, protection, success? Paul suggests we pray, first of all, that they may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. How often our children come to us for help, guidance, or advice, and they tell us, “I just wish I knew what to do!” Well, so do we! We wish we knew what would be best for them in every instance. So what if we prayed that our loved ones would be so filled with the knowledge of God’s will that they would live their life according to that will!
If you knew that every member of your family knew the will of God for their lives, wouldn't you be filled with peace and joy for them? Of course you would. We all want our family members to know God's plan. What does God want for them related to His will? The final words of verse 9 make this clear: To have knowledge “in. all wisdom” means to know what to do.
When you pray for your family members to know God's will, you are praying that they will be wise enough to know how to make good choices and do the right thing. To have knowledge “and spiritual understanding” means to know why to do it.
Stop to pray right now that those you love most – your spouse, your children, other relatives, friends –will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, and that He will give them all wisdom and spiritual understanding so they may follow that will.
A Prayer You May Say: Father God, please bless my spouse, my children, my family, and others I so much love, that they may be filled with the knowledge of Your will and that they may have the wisdom and spiritual understanding to follow it and live according to it.
Used by permission of Adventist Family Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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