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It is therefore significant that Paul continues to pray (Col. 1: 10) "and increasing in the
knowledge of God". If our knowledge (and acknowledgment) of God stagnates, so will
our knowledge of His will, and imperceptibly our walk will deteriorate from `worthy' to
`worthless'.
Considering these matters one may ask "Who is sufficient for these things?" Paul
recognized the difficulties involved in the worthy walk, and so he is found praying also
(11) `strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power'. As we recognize the
frailty of our flesh there comes the assurance that God will enable us with all enablement.
Here is an echo of the Apostle's claim in Phil. 4: 13:
"I can do all things through Christ Which strengtheneth me."
Moreover the enablement is `according to His glorious power', or the might of His
glory. How important it is then that we should pray for `the spirit of wisdom and
revelation . . . . . that (we) may know . . . . . what is the exceeding greatness of His power
to usward who believe'; this again is `according to the working of His mighty power',
the energy of the strength of His might. Here is ability, energy, strength beyond
description, save that it is that:
". . . . . which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at
His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all . . . . ." (Eph. 1: 17-23).
No.10.
The Worthy Walk---Colossians (2).
pp. 46 - 49
Involved in the worthy walk is also `all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness' (cf.
Eph. 4: 2). Here `joyfulness' is added; it is quite possible to endure and suffer-long
miserably! Yet with such tremendous sufficiency available, and recognizing all that is
expressed later in this same chapter, how can it be otherwise than with joyfulness?
There is some uncertainty whether `with joyfulness' should be linked with `patience
and longsuffering', or with `giving thanks to the Father'. For the believer should not both
apply? Certainly as we consider all for which we have to `give thanks unto the Father',
this should fill our hearts with joy as can nothing else. To begin with He has `made us
meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light': we, who once were:
". . . . . without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from
the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph. 2: 12).
He has made such `meet' for an inheritance beyond comprehension! Moreover He has
rescued us from the authority of darkness, `and hath translated us into the kingdom of His
dear Son'. Clearly an exposition of this and the following verses is beyond the scope of
this study; but in this passage are the grounds both of Christian joyfulness and of the
worthy walk. Notice how Paul's prayer "That ye might walk worthy" inevitably points to