16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 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, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 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… (Ephesians 3:16-20)
We live in a world of crazy deadlines, commitments, and opinions. Sometimes, it feels like we’re barely keeping our heads above water.
Pause, take a breath, and soak in Ephesians 3:16-20. Paul’s prayer for the church of Ephesus is a reminder of how much more God wants for our lives than our short-sighted vision shows us.
The only way to experience the fullness of Jesus’ love is to let Him fully into our lives. God works through us not by pushing us around, but through His Holy Spirit’s guidance. The business of life can drown out the whispers of the Holy Spirit showing us how loved and cherished we are by our Creator. Paul prays we’re strengthened by the Holy Spirit, and we’re given the power to realize just how deep and wide God’s love is for us (Ephesians 3:16-18).
God’s love surpasses our knowledge and our circumstances (Ephesians 3:19). Our lens is infinitely smaller than God’s picture and His plans for our lives. God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). The best-case scenarios in our heads are nothing compared to what God promises to do.
We can pray the same prayer today — that every day we would invite Jesus further into our lives. When we do, we’ll start to see God do more than we ever could dream possible. Let’s not let the pace of our lives cause us to miss out on “immeasurably more.”
Reflect:
• Is the pace of your life allowing you to reflect on the truths Paul highlights in this prayer? Why or why not? Does something need to change?
• How does knowing the depth of God’s love give context to your challenges?
• What’s the best-case scenario in your current situation? Reflect on the truth that God wants infinitely more for you than even this. (NEWSPRING
CHURCH)