Dear Church of the Open Bible,
This past Sunday, James encouraged us to pray in every circumstance by showing the powerful effects of believers seeking God’s will in their lives and community (James 5:13-20). We want to pray with our eyes wide open for opportunities to confess sin with one another and pursue each other in love. And we also want to pray with our eyes wide open for the results of God answering prayer among us.
Sometimes, we can feel overwhelmed by where to start when it comes to prayer because there are so many needs, personally and individually. The list is long in my own life, then there’s my family, then our church family, then our community, and after praying for those, we haven’t even left Ponoka! One of the things that has helped me in this is to prioritize praying for what is prayed for in Scripture. Listen to what Paul prays for in Ephesians 3:14-21.
…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. - Ephesians 3:16-19
Paul’s prayers can be hard to follow, so let’s break it up. Paul prays for the Ephesians to be strengthened with power from the Holy Spirit (3:16). Where does this take place? Within them, in their hearts, where Christ is dwelling as they trust Him (3:17a). And now we get to the actual request. What do they need this divine strength for? To comprehend the incomprehensible, the vastness of Christ’s love towards them (3:17b-19a).
Paul knows that we cannot grow unless Christ’s love is planted in our hearts. Paul knows that we can’t live set-apart to God until we first realise we are unconditionally loved by Him. Paul knows that we cannot hope to love others until we begin to understand His love toward us. Paul knows this, but do you and I?
Join me in praying for us to experience God’s power in knowing His incredible love for us in Christ. May that be the foundation of all our relationships and ministries. He is able to do this and far more (3:20-21). Praise God!