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Here is a prayer with two aspects. It looks to heaven and to earth. It is concerned with God's estimate of his people and with their own spiritual successes.

I. THE HEAVENWARD ASPECT OF THE PRAYER. St. Paul has just been describing the great and terrible judgment day in language of fire and thunder. Now he expresses his anxiety that all may be well with his readers on that day, when they will be called to account to ascertain how far they have walked worthily in respect of their vocation.

1. Christians have a calling. We are called to be Christians, and being Christians, to enter the pilgrimage of the heavenly life. The object of this general calling is to follow Christ. But we are also each of us called to some specific individual vocation.

2. The Christian calling involves high obligations. It is no light matter to be found worthy of it. When a great trust is put upon a man a heavy responsibility accompanies his discharge thereof. So is it with every Christian.

3. God watches us in the pursuit of our calling. We are observed of God, neither escaping his eye in our most secret hours, nor disregarded by him in our least important actions.

4. God will bring us to account for our fulfilment of our calling. It is most important that he should reckon us to have worthily discharged our vocation because "his favour is life." But he who calls us to the Christian life can give us grace to discharge its obligations. We can pray that we may be accounted worthy.

II. THE EARTHWARD ASPECT OF THE PRAYER.

1. It seeks the fulfilment of every desire of goodness. These are the desires which spring out of the good disposition of a Christian heart.

(1) It is not every desire of a good man that is to be fulfilled. Good people may have foolish wishes. The desires to be prayed about are those which spring directly out of goodness.

(2) Good desires may be unsatisfied. We may wish well and not have opportunity or power for executing our wishes. The spirit may be willing while the flesh is weak, or the spirit may be weak in energy while it is good in intention.

2. It seeks the fulfilment of every work of faith. St. Paul agrees with St. James that faith shows itself by works. But he sees deeper into the difficulties of weak human nature. Though our trust and fidelity prompt us to obedient service, innumerable hindrances intervene and frustrate our energies. We need that God should establish the work of our hands. Even when we sow and water well he must give the increase.

3. The accomplishment of these ends depends on a gift of power. Goodness without strength is futile. But the strong God infuses strength (Psalm 73:26). The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of power. The Church should pray more earnestly for the grace of energy. - W.F.A.

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KJV: Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

WEB: To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith, with power;