Contemplative Bible Reading

Philippians 1:9-11

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

I have heard a lot of talking lately about relationships and truth. These verses seem to tie the two together.

Paraphrasing verse 9:

This is my prayer: that your love may abound in truth

How does love abound in truth? I suppose a person who feels that relationships (love) are paramount can point to this verse and say that truth (knowledge) cannot exist without relationships. In the same manner, a person who feels that truth is paramount can point to this verse and say that relationships cannot exist without truth.

So what is right? I suppose that both are a little right and a little of an exaggeration.

What I see is that Paul is praying for both. He prays that we have love (relationships), and that the love abounds in truth (knowledge). One without the other is not what we need. One without the other is not Paul’s prayer.

I pray that I may know what God wants me to know. I pray that I may show God’s love to my fellow man.