Colossians 1:9-12
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; 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.
Encouraging Words...
One of the traditions/teachings of the Orthodox church is that when we fall asleep in the Lord we enter into His presence in eternity. We are henceforth living in eternity with Him and this is the reason we can reach out to those whom have gone before us to petition our Lord on our behalf. I can see Paul lifting up this prayer on behalf of all Christians yesterday, today, and tomorrow asking our glorious God to quide us and protect us as we draw closer to Him.
This passage provides us a summary of progress in a truly spiritual life: from discernment of God's will (v. 9) to doing God's will (v. 10) with divine energy and virtue (v. 11), within the Church, the baptized and eucharistic assembly. In the apostolic tradition, this life is open to all the saints, not just to a few. (Orthodox Study Bible)
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