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January 23. 2025
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
I am thankful, that in the Philippian letter we get to "eavesdrop" on Paul’s hopeful and optimistic prayer for the faith community and its leadership. It offers an opportunity to observe what concerns were of primary importance in heart and mind of the Apostle.
I want to remind us that when reading these verses, it’s important to remember who it was that received this letter. The recipients were individuals who were trying to figure out how to interact, solve problems, and be innovative. They were Community leaders, that did not have centuries of ecclesiastical or theological development to guide them, they had to navigate what it meant for new converts to be followers of the Jesus movement in a challenging Roman pluralistic society.
As I think about that context in Philippi, I cannot help but feel that this background serves as a reminder of the types of prayers that church communities need today.
Just as Paul prayed for the Philippian Church, asking that their love (agapē) would grow with knowledge and insight to determine what is best and produce a harvest of righteousness, these qualities are equally essential for us modern congregations (see verses 9-10).
Christian community today consists of real people, like you and me, followers of Jesus who are constantly navigating an ever-changing society. As we face these new realities, may we be accompanied by prayers for effectiveness, discernment, and above all, love.
I want to remind us that when reading these verses, it’s important to remember who it was that received this letter. The recipients were individuals who were trying to figure out how to interact, solve problems, and be innovative. They were Community leaders, that did not have centuries of ecclesiastical or theological development to guide them, they had to navigate what it meant for new converts to be followers of the Jesus movement in a challenging Roman pluralistic society.
As I think about that context in Philippi, I cannot help but feel that this background serves as a reminder of the types of prayers that church communities need today.
Just as Paul prayed for the Philippian Church, asking that their love (agapē) would grow with knowledge and insight to determine what is best and produce a harvest of righteousness, these qualities are equally essential for us modern congregations (see verses 9-10).
Christian community today consists of real people, like you and me, followers of Jesus who are constantly navigating an ever-changing society. As we face these new realities, may we be accompanied by prayers for effectiveness, discernment, and above all, love.
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