Colossians 2:1 - Blessed agony

"For I want you [all] to have known how great an agony I am having on behalf of you [all] and the [ones] in Laodicea and as many as have not seen my face in flesh..."

-Paul has never even met these believers.  Yet he is agonizing over them.  Every man complete in Christ - that is his stated purpose, the goal to which he is giving his all.  To that end he is fully aware that he can even make an eternal difference in the lives of those he doesn’t know through the multiplied impact of his disciples and especially through prayer (cf Colossians 4.12, Luke 22.44).  Yes, in person he was preaching and proclaiming in order to build people up towards perfection.  And of course Paul was gifted and called to do this.  But preaching has its limitations.  Paul was not physically in Colossae - he had never even been there.  But prayer knows no such limits - it has no boundaries.  Everyone can make a difference in the lives of others through prayer.  Remember that Paul says he has not ceased to be praying for these who he has never even met (Colossians 1.3, 1.9-11).  In studying this letter, it is not possible to overstate the primary place prayer has in Paul’s life and ministry (Colossians 4.2-3, 4.12).  HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK PAUL SPENT IN PRAYER EACH DAY?  He who would serve Christ who has not learned to pray - to agonize in prayer - still has much to learn...

-’When you pray... Keep watching and praying... While He was praying (heaven was opened, He was transformed), they were continually devoting themselves to prayer, after they prayed the house was shaken, we will devote ourselves to prayer, pray at all times, in everything by prayer, praying always for you, we have not ceased to pray for you, devote yourselves to prayer, we night and day keep praying most earnestly, pray without ceasing, pray for us, we pray for you always, I urge that entreaties prayers petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, entreaties and prayers night and day, I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, I thank my God always making mention of you in my prayers, the energized prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer...’  HOW WOULD YOU SUMMARIZE THIS COLLECTION OF NEW TESTAMENT PHRASES?  WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT PRAYER FROM THEM?

-Prayer is a struggle, yes, but beyond prayer, the Gospel life itself is a kind of agony, a blessed agony, this (a bit like a marathon).  It is a struggle unending against self, against the forces of darkness, against a world bent on not bending its collective knees to its Maker.  It is a fight to be fought well, like the apostle Paul before us (1Timothy 6.12, 2Timothy 4.7).  It is a cause worthy of our every last breath, our last ounce of strength and then some.  Yet in spending ourselves in it’s cause, for Jesus’ sake, we actually find ourselves.  There is renewal, hope, incomprehensible peace and unspeakable joy...