Colossians 1:9

Colossians 1:9 (NIV) ....asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

This passage tells of Paul's prayer for the Colossians. He asks God to fill them "with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding". For some reason when I read this passage, the word "knowledge" is what I saw. It reminded me of the Garden, where there were two specific trees mentioned.

Genesis 2:9 mentions these two trees. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. "And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Notice that there was no tree of the knowledge of God's will.

I guess that was not necessary since they did not know good or evil, they only knew God...... at that point. In comes the serpent. Distracting them. Calling their attention to what they hadn't known before, the knowledge of good and evil.

Then, centuries and centuries later, when Paul writes to the Colossians, he prays that they will be granted knowledge "of his [God's] will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." This is both a shame and a comfort. If Adam and Eve had just lived in God's will from the beginning.......but since they did not, thank God that we can pray to know "His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding".

Thank You, dear Lord of All, that You permit us the opportunity to pray for ourselves and others that we would all know Your will. Amen

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