The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Ephesians 3:16-19,
"I pray that out of his [the Father's] glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
"I pray that out of his [the Father's] glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Here Paul speaks of a fullness of God that we may be filled with, right here in this life. This fullness does not appear to be automatic in our new life in Jesus Christ but available through being rooted and established in love, which brings power with it, a power that helps expand our knowledge and understanding of the full dimension of the love Jesus Christ has for us. As we know and experience this love (and, yet, Paul says this love surpasses knowledge!) it makes this fullness of God possible within us.
Far from either a passing knowledge of Jesus Christ in his love for us, or the dusty stuff of the theologian's parsing, this fullness becomes an existential reality for those who apply themselves through prayer for grasping the full dimension of the love of Jesus Christ.
Going to the right church can't bring it to us. Our pastor can't give it to us. We can't get it from our parents or friends or siblings. We have to go before the Lord in prayer. Paul prayed for these believers to have this fullness. Perhaps we can go before the Lord in prayer, both for ourselves and those we care for. Paul did.
May we all strive for the measure of all the fullness of God within us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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