Grounded in Love

. . . I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.  (Ephesians 3:14-21, NASB)

The Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church at Ephesus while incarcerated in a Roman prison.  What love he must have had to write to the church while suffering persecution, to share the love of Christ Jesus with them!  In the Bible verses above, Paul writes of the infinite love of our Savior.

Paul begins by praising God, “that He would grant [us], according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in [our] hearts through faith.”  The moment we pray to ask Jesus Christ to be our Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to reside in us, to be our Helper, Teacher, and Guide.  If we realize He’s there, we are “strengthened with [His] power.”  I call the Spirit “the Forgotten Person of the Trinity.”  I think most of us forget He’s there.  With God’s help, I’ve tried to incorporate Him into my prayer life, to unleash the power Paul speaks of. 

Next, Paul prays “that [we], being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.”  Why?  So that we “may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”  Christ Jesus loves us infinitely, beyond our knowledge.  I do know that He loves us so much that He left the majesty of His heavenly home, and came to the earth He created, to suffer horrific torture and crucifixion, to die as a substitute for us, to take the punishment we all deserve.  But Paul says there is much more that we don’t know! His love is so great, that we “may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”

Last, Paul gives glory to God, “who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.”  We Jesus-followers have immense power in us!  There’s so much power in us that we can’t even imagine what God can do for us.  I think it’s an issue of faith.  Jesus said that if we had faith as tiny as a mustard seed, we could command a mountain to move.  If I had enough faith, I would ask God, and He would heal my ALS. He would grant healing and salvation to everyone for whom I pray.  He would heal our Nation.  He would bring justice throughout this unjust world.  Father, please help my faith!