Colossians 1:9-10

"...we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you..."
Paul as a mature christian speaking of what he does on behalf of the Colossians who were, relatively speaking, new christians. Note that he doesn't just pray for his less mature brethren though that is, obviously, a powerful thing to do. Paul also lets the Colossians know that he's praying for them.

"...and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding..."
Presumably, this is even before he prays for their physical safety and well-being. Would being "filled" with the knowledge of God's will mean being emptied of one's own?

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God"
Had Paul stopped with "Walk worthy", he might have created an order of monks. Instead, he continues on to mention "every good work." I think there is an interaction with the rest of the world hinted at there; something that is made more explicit in other sections. Also, a clue with the word "increasing." Knowledge of God is not gained in one fell swoop no matter how great an experience one has. It increases and grows, probably in reponse to the "walk" and the "good works". Like a muscle. If knowledge of God was something that could come to a human being all at once, perfect and complete, I'm sure Paul would have prayed for that instead.

Why I am here

My profile, if I can get it right, indicates that I am no theologian. Not professionally at least. I take it that everyone in the world is a theologian in the sense that they have to confront ideas about God eventually. I'm writing this because while I'm not a theologian, I am an English instructor and a writer -- an intellectual worker. I want my reflections about God to have something of the formality that comes from putting words to paper or (in this case) putting words on a screen. The writing causes me to think a little more deeply. The first few weeks worth of posts may be rough since the semester is still going on and I've never used blogger before and I'm not technically inclined. I hope it is interesting for you to see as I struggle with Bible texts and other works of a theological nature. More later.

My Bible

When I decided to do this blog, I went to my local bookstore and bought several books. Some of these books will be introduced as this blog progresses. The Bible, however, will be my main concern here and I should tell you what I went for in that regard.

I went for a stripped down King James Version with two maps of the Holy Land and no footnotes (there is a section of helps at the end mostly made up of lists like "Famous People of the Bible" and "Miracles of Jesus"). The Words of Jesus are in red. $6.99 from Zondervan. I own several other versions of the Bible, but there are at least three reasons why I think I chose wisely in the version for this blog.

1 -- Most Protestants have the KJV. I don't think it's the most accurate, but it is elegant and the phrasing in it resonates even with people who don't read the Bible.
2 -- I didn't want the crutch of endless footnotes. If I'm going to think my way through the Bible, I want to expend energy in doing it. I want to have to struggle through the reading. This is not for everyone. There are easier translations and unnumbered study Bibles with glorious helps to explain just about every word or phrase in the Bible. But I am an intellectual worker by training and profession. I should work through my own understandings. Of course, yes, I check myself with the interpretations of others. But here, I'm looking to do some intellectual work of my own.
3 -- The paper is thick so that when I underline, it doesn't show through to the opposite side of the page. Very important that.