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Ephesians 3:14-21
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.
New International Version (NIV)
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Why do you pray? I pray because I cannot not pray. From the moment I awake until I sleep, I am aware of the Presence. God is near. We need to talk. Mostly I listen. He has more to say than I. I need to hear.
Paul’s prayer provided purpose during his time in prison. He was not primarily a prisoner of Rome but “a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles.” Jesus first took him captive on the road to Damascus. But when he preached to the Gentiles he landed in a real jail. During that time of waiting he wrote letters which we still read today. What did he do with the rest of his time? He prayed. His prayer for the Ephesians informs my praying for you. “For this reason I kneel before the Father . . .”
The Father was not just Jesus’ Father and Paul’s Father. No every family in heaven and earth derives its name from him. Our Father is rich in power and generous in sharing it through his Spirit. The Spirit represents the presence of Jesus inside us, empowering us. I want power to get through the day. But Paul prays for power to grasp the immeasurable dimensions of the love of God. Whenever I hear, “Small world,” I instinctively respond, “Big God.” As S. M. Lochridge put it, “There is no gauge to measure God’s limitless love.” How large is God’s love for us? God’s great love is big enough to fill all of us with all the fullness of God.
This power is not available in individual portions. We can only grasp it “together with all the Lord’s holy people” (3:18). I would rather you pray with me than for me. Scot McKnight writes about the “Daily Hours.” One of the babies thrown out with the bathwater during the reformation was the practice of praying at regular times. Judaism practiced regular hours of prayer as did the early believers (Acts 3:1; 10:9). My friend Steve Bezner at Houston’s Northwest Baptist has experienced a similar return to the “Daily Office” of prayer, praying with other believers at the same time, morning and evening. My discipleship group and I are working on praying the Lord’s prayer, morning, noon and night. We are not in this alone. (You can search for Daily Office online and find scriptures and prayers which you pray with God’s people in the morning and evening.)
Paul ends his prayer with a brief doxology: He glorifies the God who is “able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us.” How would we pray if we believed that? Would we ever stop praying? Again, God is working not only in me but in us. So we pray with each other and for each other to the Father who is able. Our goal is not only mutual edification but glorification of God. Paul prayed doxologically – to give God the greatest glory in the church. Yesterday, I thought the Lord said to me that he wants me to preach doxologically. What if every word we prayed or spoke to others was dedicated to and designed for giving God the greatest possible glory? How would we pray? How then shall we live?
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Pray with me:
Father, we your people pray together today for the filling of your presence and the power to comprehend your love. Help us to believe that your love for us today is not conditioned upon our worthiness or even our obedience. We believe that you can fill the emptiness in our lives with your fullness. Help us to live and pray and speak doxologically today. Let every one of us and all of us be a living alleluia from head to foot, we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Join us in memorizing the Word. Scripture for this week:
Matthew 6:9-11
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
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| Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week. In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.
Joyfully,
Duane
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