“We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,”

How good to be thankful for Christian fellowship and the spread of the gospel. Paul is thankful to God for these sisters and brothers in Christ, event though he has never met them, and probably will never meet them. They are precious to him because of the link with Epaphras, who became a Christian believer in Ephesus and saw the need for the Christian witness in Colosse, and started the church there. Paul is supportive of his brother, who has been a trailblazer in this regard. He writes to encourage him and the congregation that he leads. 

Paul is thankful to God for His saving power displayed in the church at Colosse and is glad for the blessing on this church. He knows that God leads people as He sees fit and will expand the cause of Christ through many and varied witnesses. Paul gives his blessing in this cause for the Lord and assures them of his prayers.

We tend to think of the churches praying for Paul in all his travelling and ministry, but Paul shows us the necessity for the Pastors and Teachers to pray for their own people and Christians in other settings too. Paul is the great Apostle and his prayers are heard in heaven, as a faithful and righteous man. 

“Confess your offences to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”

James 5:16