“We…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…” (Col 1:9-12).
Seven exquisite petitions to weave into your prayers to beautify the saints. And not a small request among them: “filled,” “fully pleasing,” “fruitful in every good work,” “increasing,” “strengthened,” “all might,” etc. How such prayers would transform our outlook on the people of God!
Florence Atkinson tells of a boy in her class finger painting with red paint. “Look, teacher,” he said, holding out his hands. “They look as if they were…” He paused, and she thought he would say, “covered with blood.” Instead, he completed the sentence by adding, “…full of red roses.”