DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Colossians 1:1-2, 7-11 (10/27) Epistle for Tuesday of the Twenty-first
Week after Pentecost
A Worthy Walk: Colossians 1:1-2, 7-11, especially vss.
9, 10: “...we...do not cease to
pray for you....that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing
Him....” Today, we begin a series of readings through
To hear “...the word of the truth of the
gospel...” (Col. 1:5) and to know “...the grace of God in
truth...” (Col. 1:6) makes it natural to “...love in the
Spirit” (Col. 1:8). And such
love becomes visible in and through living and speaking - a “...walk
worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him...” (vs. 10). Truth translates into loving acts. Epaphras
reported that the Colossians’ “...love in the Spirit” (vs.
8), prompting the Apostle to pray ceaselessly (vs. 9) that the congregation
might be “...fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge
of God...” (vs. 10).
Love in the Spirit,
therefore, is tantamount to a worthy walk, yet each of us as a member in
Christ should realize that love in the Spirit exceeds ordinary human
love, which is why the Apostle qualifies his command to love with the
additional phrase, in the Spirit.
Such love is beyond human capacity apart from strengthening and
illumination by God the Holy Spirit.
To love in the Spirit of God is to love as the Lord Jesus
Himself loves, is to love even one’s enemies and be “...kind to the
unthankful and evil” (Lk. 6:35). Loving in the Spirit describes
Christ’s walk among us, His example lived for us. He, being Love,“...suffers
long and is kind...does not envy...does not parade...is not puffed up...does
not behave rudely, does not seek [His] own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things...[and] never
fails” (1 Cor. 13:4-8).
One who walks worthily loves tangibly in the power of the
Holy Spirit, loving in a manner higher than fallen human love, enabled
by God infilling “...with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding...” (Col. 1:9). To this end, in the Christian Mystery,
we are sealed in the Spirit of our God “...unto the healing of body and
soul...that we [might] walk in the way of [God’s]
commandments.” It is the
Spirit of God Who actively helps us put to death those sins that weigh us down
and foul godly love within us.
Still, a walk worthy of the Lord Jesus can be manifested in our living
and speaking. How does this happen?
The living Lord works in our hearts by the power of the
Holy Spirit, strengthening with all might according to
His glorious power (vs. 11). The
indwelling of the Spirit of God in our spirits makes possible both knowing God
and applying His will directly in daily decisions and actions. Beloved, pray with Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, “...help me in all things to rely
upon Your holy will. In every hour of the day, reveal Your will to me.”
For when God reveals His will, He also gives grace with
“...all might according to His glorious power...” (vs. 11). He
makes it possible for us to live truly and increase “...in the knowledge
of God...” (vs. 10). Consider the overwhelming call of the
Lord upon us, sinners that we are to “...walk worthy of the Lord”
(Col. 1:10), not turn away from borrowers (Mt. 5:42), love our enemies, and
pray for those who spitefully use us (Mt. 5:44), depending solely upon
“...the grace of God in truth...” (Col. 1:6)! But, rejoice, for Christ’s Apostle
does “..not cease to pray for [us]...” (vs. 9) to the Lord.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art
everywhere present and fillest all things, come and
dwell in us and cleanse us of every stain of sin and save us, O Good One.
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