25 Years Now--celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary

25 years ago we ventured into
The great unknown
Hand in hand
Vows taken
For richer or for poorer
In sickness and in health
And we've had some of all those
Tied together as joint heirs of the grace of God
Hand to hand and
Heart to heart.
We knew not what would start
25 years ago yet
We trusted in the One before whom we stood and
That He would direct us as one as He had as two.
And oh how good
The unchangingly eternal One has been
In making we two one.
The road has not been easy,
But who could expect it would be?
25 years now of God's exceedingly great grace
Has brought us to this place and we rejoice in Him.

Paul's second prayer in his second letter to the church at Corinth

Paul has explained what has been behind changes in his plans and the changes' outcome. Then comes this praise: "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved, and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance of life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ" (2:14-17; italics mine; ESV).

Paul begins here to differentiate himself from those whom he refers to as peddlers of God's Word. More on that later in this letter. However, we too need to be discerning, able to tell the difference between those who are motived by financial gain and those who are motivated by a call, men commissioned by God, as Paul refers to them.

Reading this passage at this time makes me think of those who gather annually in March for the Shepherds' Conference at Grace Community Church. Why? They too seek to be men of sincerity, commissioned by God, in the sight of God to speak in Christ.

First of Paul's Prayers in his second letter to the church at Corinth

Probably written from Macedonia (see chapter 2), this letter contains many prayers of varying lengths. Note that it is written not only to the church in Corinth, but also to all the saints in Achaia. Clearly this is a follow-up to a previous letter, as it contains clarifying statements at various points.

Here is Paul's first prayer in the letter: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you  share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many" (2 Corinthians 1:3-11; ESV).

Here are my observations on his prayer: The first two verses here are so encouraging. We then get to the contingency or application. The mercy and the comfort we yearn for depend on the reason we need mercy and comfort. Here Paul makes it clear that such suffering, such affliction, is connected to our sharing in Christ's sufferings, not just any old suffering we might be going through at any given time. If that doesn't make you think, as it does me, I don't know what will. We want, need, mercy and comfort--and God is the Source of both, on His terms, as is right. And Paul is open with them as to what he experienced and why: "But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead." If we are suffering for Christ's sake, we must also not rely on ourselves--or each other--but on God who raises the dead. So only those who are in Christ can count on access to this mercy and comfort, as well as sharing in His sufferings. That's my read of this prayer at this time.

Paul and the Colossians

The church at Colossae was one of several which Paul did not found yet took pastoral care over through his letter to the church there. He had heard from the pastor of certain issues which needed to be dealt with. As apostle, Paul stepped in.

Begin with Paul's prayer for the Colossians: "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his might, for all endurance and patience with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (1:9-14; ESV; italics mine here and hereafter).

It appears to me that beneath the issues the Colossians were facing was not seeing Christ as preeminent and sufficient--as is the case now for too many. When He isn't, we are vulnerable.

We need to remember this as much as they did to hear it: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross" (1:9-15; ESV).

Then Paul reminds them: "And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in the body of his flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister" (1:21-23; ESV).

Paul reminds them in those verses of what they were, what Christ has done for them, and why, then gives warning #1.

Warning #2 comes in Colossians 2:8. Paul balances encouragement with warning as here: "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving (2:6-7; ESV) and this: "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elementary spirits of the world, and not according to Christ" (2:8; ESV).

Then again he highlights Christ: "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in  the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him" (2:9-15; ESV).

More warnings follow in the rest of chapter 2. Then chapter 3 opens with a necessary section focusing them on the new self (3:1-17), relationships in the home (3:18-22), then other relationships (3:23-4:1). Final greetings and instructions come in 4:7-28.

Go back to 3:1-4: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (ESV).

So what should the Colossians--and we--do in response? Verses 5-10 deal with what we are to put off and put on. Verse 11 underlines "Christ is all, and in all."  Verses 12-16 are additional exhortations. Verse 17 sums up: "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (ESV).

Verse 17 is key to the rest of the letter.  It will make a difference in relationships (3:18-4:1, 5-6) and keep us prayerful (4:2-3). As you read 4:7-17, keep in mind that these were real people, in real circumstances.

Make this your prayer too: "that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing in him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (1:10-14; ESV).