Sent:  November 4, 2002

Subject:  This Says It All!

Dear Ethan & Emily:

I believe I have sent you this prayer in a previous devotion, but I read it again during my morning quiet time today, and it says so very well everything I would want to tell each of you face to face as your dad.

Please read carefully.  This translation is from the New Living Translation from Colossians 1:9-14:

“We (your mother and me in the place of Paul & Timothy who wrote this to the believers in Colosse) ask God to give you a complete understanding of what He wants to do in your lives, and we ask Him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom.  Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others.  All the while, you will learn to know God better and better.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with His glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need.  May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled us to share the inheritance that belongs to God’s holy people, who live in the light.  For He has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and He has brought us into the kingdom of His dear son.  God has purchased our freedom with His blood and has forgiven all our sins.”

Isn’t that great?  I am thankful to Paul for saying this so very well, and it’s everything I want for both of you.  I think key phrases are:

Having a complete understanding of what God wants for us

Being wise with spiritual wisdom

Living your life to honor and please the Lord

Going good things for others

Knowing God better

Being strengthened to have patience and endurance…to wait on God to supply our needs (which is so hard to do sometimes in our “hurry up and do it now” world!)

Having real joy because we share an inheritance as a child of God

And being blessed with freedom and having our sins forgiven by our wonderful Lord

All my love and always desiring only the very best for you,

Dad