Look at Paul on his knees in agony of conflict, praying for saints he had never seen, and who were the fruits of another man’s labor. May the apostle’s tears affect us! He bade the Ephesian elders on the seashore of Miletus on the occasion of that memorable journey to Rome, “remember that by the space of three years he ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20:3131Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. (Acts 20:31)).
I confess that Paul’s tears affect me, and my great desire for our young brethren is that they may affect them. I cannot in sight of those tears treat the truth of the Church lightly.
In Colossians 2:1-31For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:1‑3), we read, first of all, that Paul prays that the hearts of the saints might be comforted. We often say people do not get converted when they have cold feet; so saints need to be comforted in their hearts, that is, happy, quiet and undistracted in their affections. When saints are troubled by difficulties, and harassed by Satan’s onslaught, they are not in that frame of mind to receive these great communications.
Next, he prayed that they might be “knit together in love.” Look at the dear old grandmother knitting placidly at the fireside. How closely related the one stitch is to the next. How they follow one another in uniformity. God would have the hearts of His people knit together in love. Brethren, we want more of this. Is it not true that if we do not see eye to eye, coldness often comes in, distance, suspicion? This is not the way to settle things. The tears on the apostle’s face are better than that. What produced those tears? The love of the Spirit. Let us bear with each other. Ephesians 4:2, 32With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2‑3), says,
“With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Thus the apostle besought the saints to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called. May our spirits be saturated in this.
And all this—their hearts comforted, and knit together in love, was “unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God.” How the apostle piles up the language. The situation demands it. The scene of ineffable glory, purposed by the blessed God in the past ages of eternity, all held in the pierced hand of the risen Christ, and shortly to be manifested in all its fullness, is a theme before which language is struck dumb. Here we have “full assurance of understanding to the full knowledge of the mystery of God” (N.T.) May we let our little vessels dip into this mighty ocean.