Far More Abundance
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Ephesians 3:14-21
14. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15. from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16. that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, 17. and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19. and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God. 20. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, 21. to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.
Wow! Read each statement thoughtfully and deliberately. These are some powerful words! First of all, to bow one’s knees was a deeply reverent stance, as standing to pray was the usual. What an amazing blessing this is! First Paul declares that we are each a member of God’s family—our birthright is through Him and his covenant. Paul intercedes for us to find the inner strength needed to live as we should—and for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which affords us that strength.
Christ is, after all, love personified. Paul’s prayer reaches to heaven that we might be filled with that love, and that we may each somehow begin to grasp the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love for us through Jesus Christ. His hope is that we will “feel” that love emanating from heaven into the deepest reaches of our souls. Again, this is an amazing blessing! That love is, of course, incomprehensible and indescribable. I don’t think that we, as humans, are capable of letting go of our humanity long enough for that perfect and complete love to manifest itself in our lives.
God loves us more than we can imagine! There are no words ever thought of – in any language – that could fully explain it! There is no thought ever conceived that could fully comprehend a love that transcending and complete. God is absolutely crazy about us! He can’t stand to have us apart from Him! He longs for us to join Him in heaven! He’s so anxious that we attend that ultimate party in heaven with Him, that He sent us a way to get there! We don’t need a map, just the Cross. We already have a personal invitation, embossed in gold, on the finest paper.
Paul goes on to tell us that God loves us so much, that He grants us even more that we ask for! That’s because we can’t conceive of God’s abundance and generosity. We ask for a little bit, and He gives us more than enough—to overflowing. We ask for drink, and He gives us a river! We ask for a morsel of bread and He sends us cake and ice cream! We ask for acceptance and He gives us His name. We ask for hope and He gives us Jesus. We ask and He responds with abundance.
Paul has told the Ephesians that He is not a gifted orator! He hasn’t lived a model life in his past. He doesn’t have anything to offer anyone except the Good News of the Risen Lord! God uses each of us to spread the Good News, not because of our great skills and abilities, but in spite of our weakness, our self-doubt and our lacking. God loves us that much. He’s that big. If we turn our lives over to Jesus, our words take on His meaning, our actions reflect His love, our prayers become more ardent and powerful because the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.
Ask God to give you a life full of love and abundance and hope and joy. He’ll give you heaven. He’ll give you more than you could ever deserve or earn. He already gave us Himself. Now he’s waiting for the “happy ending.!
I hope today you make “big” requests of God. And that you receive far more abundantly than all you ask or think.
Mary
