🍂 Walk worthy

Colossians 1:10

“so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” (NASB)

Paul had not been to Colossi, but had received good reports about the genuine faith of this group of believers and was writing to them, encouraging them, and letting them know that they are praying for them…

But notice his prayer isn’t for their general well-being…

Paul's prayer was of giving thanks and rejoicing for their faith, hope and love... and he was asking their heavenly Father to fill them with the knowledge of God's will... In spiritual wisdom, grace and understanding.

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians he is challenging this group of believers to continually walk upright in a God-honoring, sanctified way each and every day…

For God has saved us, not for us to stay the same, but for us to be made new.

And that newness is played out with every step we take each and every day.

In today’s scripture verse, the first we are told is to “live a life worthy of the Lord.”

This can seem somewhat complicated to us; however, I think we’re the ones that can make it complicated.

We easily forget, that we are not being asked to do something we have not been empowered to do.

And the Lord expects us to live in a manner that is different from the worlds.

Next, our scripture verse tells us that we are to please Him in every way.

The Lord expects us to reflect His character in everything that we do.

Well, what did Jesus do? What was His walk like? Did He walk to the outcasts? Did He give time to the oppressed? Did He forgive His enemies? What did Jesus do?

You see, the more our walk comes into conformity to our Lord and Savior’s walk, the more our walk will please our Father...

And although it’s not always easy for us to ‘please God in every way.’

The Lord does expect us to reflect God’s character… in all that we do.

Because of Jesus… because of the hope we have reserved in heaven…

because of the indwelling of the Spirit of God… we have been given the ability to

walk in a manner worthy of the Lord…

We have the opportunity of walking with our Heavenly Father.

We have the opportunity to join with Him… and know Him more and more every day.

And as we walk in a manner worthy of the Lord we will; as our today’s verse says… “bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.”

This growing is the catalyst by which all of our living… and pleasing… and manner… get their start and get their energy to continue on day after day.

Growing in the knowledge of God.

Walking worthy of the Lord is the walk that is best for us.

And if you think about it, we can go all the way back to Eden.

Where Adam and Eve literally walked with God in Eden.

This shows us how things were supposed to be.

They were growing in the knowledge of God because they were walking with Him. But sin destroyed that walk, it demolished that good work, and it shattered that knowledge.

But through Jesus… … and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit… we have the privilege of walking with our Heavenly Father each and every day.... We have the opportunity to join with Him on His good work and know Him far more than we ever thought possible.

So, what does the Lord want from us? … What does the Lord want for us? …

…He wants us to walk...  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; and to be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, with endurance and patience and joy. (verses 10-11 paraphrased)