The term isn't hard to grasp. "Worthy" refers to being of equal worth. That is, "worthy" is "having worth" and being worthy of something or someone is having suitable worth. So Jesus considers "worthy of Me" to mean "loving me more than others." Paul wanted them to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling," meaning that their lives reflected the value of the call. These aren't complicated concepts on the surface, but just what do they mean in practice? We know, for instance, that sinners never attain "worthy of Me" and sinning saints never achieve "worthy of the Lord" -- a walk that rightly represents the value of God -- so how does this work? What does this look like?
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Col 1:9-12)Paul's primary point in this text is that "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord" phrase. Look at what surrounds it. First, prayer. Prayer for what? "That you may be filled with the knowledge of His will." He clarifies the quality of that knowledge. "In all spiritual wisdom and understanding." The purpose is to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. How many of us do this? How many pray for knowledge of His will? Oh, I'd hope it is quite a few. How many pray for knowledge "in all spiritual wisdom and understanding"? Probably less. We might even use a phrase like "just a glimpse." Not enough.
Paul goes on to expound on what this walk looks like. Predicated on knowing God's will deeply, the worthy walk is fully pleasing to Him. That's the aim (2 Cor 5:9). What is pleasing to Him? Bearing fruit. Not just any fruit; the fruit of "every good work." Leave no good work undone. Multiply them. What else? Increasing in the knowledge of God. We never "arrive" here. God is infinite; we are finite. We will never grasp God. So a lifelong pursuit of knowing God better is pleasing to Him. What else? Being strengthened with power. Not just any power; all power. Not just any power; power according to His glorious might. His power. The power that is "is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us" (Eph 3:20). That power. It exceeds your requests, even your imagination. More than that, it is already at work within us. That power. That power is what provides endurance and patience. Notice that both of those require reasons to endure and be patient -- tough times. And not just endurance and patience. Also joy. This walk worthy of the Lord includes giving thanks to the Father. Why? Because while we don't qualify as saints and heirs, He has made us that.
I think, if we're honest, we don't make a practice of that worthy walk. We are not marked by "all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph 4:2-3). Let's be honest. We don't love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. Part of our problem is that we don't grasp the extreme value of our calling (Eph 4:1), of the gospel of Christ (Php 1:27), or even the Lord (Col 1:10). Anything we put above Him and His grace and gifts diminishes the value of His grace and gifts and the value of knowing Him. So the repetition of the concept of the worthy walk is quite important, given that we don't typically do that and we aren't particularly concerned.
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