Pleasing God: In All Endurance And Patience

We have not stopped—asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: —being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. 

Colossians 1:9-11

As I read the words above, I cannot ignore the possibility that I may need the dynamite power of God to endure, and be patient, as I live to please Him. Hmmm—sounds like serious stuff. How could bringing pleasure to God be that difficult?

Apparently it was tough for the folks in Colosse. According to the Introduction to Colossians (Msg), there were false teachers amongst them, giving equal billing to the likes of Moses, Buddha, Socrates, and Muhammad. Paul felt the need to warn them off: See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form (Colossians 2:8-9).

And it is tough today. The pattern of this world (Romans 12:2) is pulling in that same direction. Think of all the people you know who do not consider Jesus to be preeminent (numero uno). Actually Jesus is not simply number one; He stands alone in the field, the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation (Colossians 1:15).  

The Holman online commentary compares the pull of the world to that of the mythological Sirens in Homer’s The Odyssey: “their beautiful, melodious songs were so enchanting that passing sailors strayed from their charted course and crashed their ships on the rocky shoreline.” Fascinating. Curious to hear their song, Ulysses avoided its allure by plugging the ears of his crew with beeswax and tying himself to the mast. The Argonauts steered clear of the rocks because: “the exquisite beauty of Orpheus' music was so genuine and compelling that the Sirens no longer held any appeal.”

We do need to recognize the perils of the world’s appeal. However, rather than having to tie ourselves to a mast or fend off the Sirens with music, we have the strength and the power of the glorious might of Jesus to keep us off the rocks. Thank You Jesus.   

Nancy P