January 23 | Ephesians 3:14-21

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DAILY READING

Ephesians 3:14-21

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REFLECTION

What Do You Pray For

By Gene Pierce

The Apostle Paul lays out his prayer for the church at Ephesus: that the Ephesian believers (and us by extension) would know God's love. God's really big -- unbelievably big -- love.

Verse 16: Paul prays ... that God may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  --- Believers have Christ working from the inside out in his resurrection power, helping us see our world as God sees it and respond in Christ’s compassion, strength and confidence. 

Verse 17 & 18a: And that you, 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. --- The love of Christ, who laid down his life for us, is beyond measure:  amazing, overwhelming, fantastic, spectacular and awe inspiring.

Verse 19: I pray that you …know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. -- This is even more fantastic. Knowing God's love gives us insight into all the fullness of God; his love and compassion, wisdom and power and everything else in the Trinity.

We should therefore likewise pray to truly know the depth of God's love for us, seen in

·       the Father’s love that sent his Son in human form to save us,

·       the Son who gave his life on our behalf and

·       the Holy Spirit who works powerfully in our hearts.

Your prayers, like Paul's, can lead you to knowing God's amazing love better. Pray with Paul that you can see and show God's love in your life every day, in issues large and small. God's love and power will exceed our understanding and will not be denied from us.

PRAYER

Thank you Lord for your unlimited, unceasing love that goes far beyond our imagination or anticipation. Give us the humility, courage and faith to seek it and live in that love every day, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gene Pierce

Gene Pierce is a longtime member of UALC and our International Missions Committee and former Council member, still learning how to balance life, work and faith. Gene and his wife Elaine are blessed to be parents of four and grandparents of nine.