September 7 2023

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

From Colossians 1:9-14, NRSV

Having given thanks for the faith of the church at Colossae, Paul goes on to pray for the ongoing increase of their faith. His prayer focuses particularly on an increase in the knowledge of God which Paul sees as the source of all other virtues. The knowledge that Paul prays for is not just an intellectual pursuit but the type of knowledge that comes from deep trust in and a prayerful relationship with God. Paul likens this type of knowledge to light since those who obtained it were rescued from the darkness of sin and led into the company of the saints.

• • What do you think Paul used the image of light to describe coming to know God?
  • What is your experience of the enlightenment that comes from prayer and trust in God?

Be mindful of the situations you meet today where you can help to bring God’s light into darkness.