“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His 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. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)
We have all sorts of ways we try to express our love for someone else: “I love you more. No, I love you more. I love you morest. I love you morest plus one.” “I love you more than my next breath.” “I love you more than all the raindrops that fall in a summer thunderstorm.” “I never loved you any more than I do–right this second. And I’ll never love you any less than I do this second.”
Of course, sometimes our love is more like this: “I love you no matter what you do–but do you have to do so much of it?” Paul’s prayer for us is that we would experience and know God’s great love in a personal way–and have that love transform you.
Here are some takeaways from this great and amazing prayer:
PRAYER CHANGES US.
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” Ephesians 3:14-15 (NIV) I kneel–in Paul’s day the usual posture to pray was to stand. Kneeling was for prayer times that were intense with God. Kneeling is a picture of surrender. Kneeling is a picture–of not being in control of your life. It is easy to think we are so smart, so educated. But we are deceived–actually not much is in our control.
Here’s the point: It is when we are surrendered, most dependent, most submitted before God that then we can be channels for God’s love and power to others and personally be transformed.
PRAYER IS ASKING.
“I pray that out of his 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.”
Ephesians 3:16-17a (NIV)
Paul is praying for us to have the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us. That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith–dwell means home. Not a temporary home. Dwell means to settle down somewhere. It is what Jesus is doing in your life and mine.
Everytime you work on a project or a home, you paint or fix something, or clean or repair something. Remember these verses. We are Jesus’ project that He is always working on.
PRAYER BRINGS LIFE CHANGE THROUGH CHRIST.
“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.”
Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV)
Rooted–is an agricultural term. Established–is a construction term. Roots are very important to a plant. We are rooted and established in what? In Christ’s love. So the root system of the Christian life is the love of Christ. We are also strong because of God’s love. Grasp–get this and experience Christ’s love personally.
Christ’s love is wide–a sinner is taken and accepted, and offered forgiveness. Long–the eternal past to the eternal future. High–from earth to heaven. No matter where you are–Christ’s love is there. Deep–from heaven to earth. His love took Him to the cross, to being beaten, rejected and abandoned. Why? So we would know His love.
PRAYER ANTICIPATES.
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to HIS power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.”
Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
Immeasurably more–that’s big! When we think we have a big idea, God says: You think that’s big? That’s not big. We pray expecting, anticipating. This is an invitation to pray. So, we pray anticipating. We have a heavenly Father who can do far more than we can ask or imagine, He loves and adores us, He invites us to ask.
So what are you praying for? Who are you praying for? Christ doesn’t just want to do things for you–Christ wants to do things in you. Christ is at work in us. Pray: Jesus, where do You want Your immeasurably more in my life, my work, my marriage, my relationships, my generosity, my character. Prayer anticipates.
Do you know the love of Christ personally? Jesus loves you. Do you doubt it? Do you have a hard time believing it? Do you take it for granted? Receive it. Experience it. Share it. I don’t know how many people you have in your life that love you, but no one loves you more than Jesus.
