Three Things Remaining in Prayer

As the Apostle Paul sits down to dictate his letter to the believers in Colossae, I can almost imagine him pausing before he begins—closing his eyes and letting his mind wander through the faces and memories of his friends there.

Maybe he remembers the family who opened their home to him with generous hospitality, the smell of fresh bread greeting him as he walked through the door. Maybe he thinks of the young man whose relentless questions about faith reminded Paul that the gospel would outlive him. Perhaps the elderly woman who prayed for him every day comes to mind, her wrinkled hands folded faithfully. Or the church’s resident comedian—the one whose playful wit could break tension and bring joy to weary hearts.

These aren’t just people on a ministry roster; they are names, stories, and souls that have shaped Paul’s journey. Each one a thread in the fabric of the gospel’s advance. Each one a reflection of Christ’s grace alive in community.

And so, with tears in his eyes and a heart overflowing with gratitude, Paul begins his letter with words that are as beautiful as they are enduring:

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all the saints—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven…”
 – Colossians 1:3–5

In a single sentence, Paul captures the essence of Christian gratitude—faith, love, and hope.

• Faith – “I thank God for how you trust Him,” Paul says in essence. Gratitude begins when we recognize the quiet and consistent faith of others—their prayers, perseverance, and belief when it would have been easier to give up.
• Love – “I’m grateful for the way your love spills out into the lives around you.” True love always finds expression—it shows up in kindness, in compassion, in staying present.
• Hope – “And I’m thankful for your hope in heaven.” Hope is what gives our faith endurance and our love resilience. It’s the horizon we keep walking toward when the road grows dark.

This year, I am most thankful for the faith that trusts, the love that serves, and the hope that endures.

And I’m reminded again that, come what may, these three remain—and they will always remain—in those who are in Christ Jesus.