Words of Hope: Strengthened
Sometimes I wrestle with what to pray for others. I have learned that praying for something specific may not be what God wants. Instead, I study scripture. How does Paul pray? One beautiful prayer is in Ephesians. Our team has been working to memorize Ephesians 3:14-21. What an incredible passage! There are so many aspects I love.
Paul writes, “I kneel before the Father.” I love kneeling as I pray. It is a posture of reverence.
I meditate on the description of God as Father from who every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
I love the line “family in heaven.” I now have family in heaven, dearer than I can imagine. I consider my children thinking of me in heaven and the children to come. This holy home that connects us on earth to those already in this eternal home.
Paul prays that people will be strengthened with power. What do you think this power is to be used for?
I might say to overcome evil or to bring healing but that is not what Paul says in this passage.
Paul prays for believers to have the power to grasp the magnitude of God’s love that surpasses knowledge. As we fix our minds and hearts in this love, as God’s Holy Spirit moves in our inner being so that Christ dwells in our hearts, Paul asks for the ultimate, that we would be filled to the measure with all the fullness of God.
This is the prayer, radiant love able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine! I think of all that I can imagine today…freedom, forgiveness, healing, restoration, peace, and true joy. I ask to be filled to the measure, every inch of my life saturated with love, filled full of God.
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
