“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

What a testimony to have about your character to have in the Holy Scriptures! Epaphras is a dedicated man of God who is given over to prayer for all the saints of God and included are the saints at Colosse. Epaphras supports the Apostle Paul in the spread of the gospel but is also one of the believers at Colosse. Maybe he is part of the congregation there, but certainly he is a brother in the faith, in the united and inclusive church of Jesus Christ. He is also a devoted servant of Christ, a man of God who loves God with all his heart soul and strength. We know this because he is devoted to prayer for the saints and prays for the right things for them. Not for success and the blessings of this transient life, but for the complete will of God to be shown in their lives.

What is God’s will for His people?

That we might stand perfect and complete before Him in love. 

Epaphras was one such Christian. As he sought perfection and to be complete in Christ in his own life, so he also sought it for other brothers and sisters, and prayed for the people in Colosse with real devotion. His prayers were constant and took much effort as he petitioned the Lord for the people he knew in the church. His preoccupation was the will of God, knowing that God is sovereign and therefore His will for each one of us is best. We resist His will to our detriment, and therefore we strive to enter into the reality of that perfect obedience that marked the life of our Saviour and Lord. It is also the mark of salvation in the life of Epaphras who serve the Lord Jesus with the full vigour of love. 

What do we strive for? 

Mostly we strive to life and to do our best and make our way in the world, but the striving here is in spiritual considerations which come first in the lives of these godly men. 

“But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:33

Epaphras had his priorities right and has put the Lord first in his life and is reaping the spiritual wellbeing of that mindset. He lacks nothing and he has strength to serve others because the Lord honours his choice to put the kingdom first and not himself. Earthly considerations hold no weight for him, as he trusts in the Lord and works hard knowing that the reward waits for him in the coming kingdom of heaven, to which he belongs.