by Robert Fudge

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 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, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians is one that fills my heart with hope and commitment. When we begin to wonder how we can go on in the face of problems or how we can do what it is we need to accomplish or how we can make the right decision we find hope in these verses. God has promised to give us His Spirit in our inner being. Notice there are two things that are promised to us as a result of the Holy Spirit in us. First there is the promise of power. Power to live for God, more power to become like Him; immeasurably more power than we can ask or even imagine! Back in Eph. 1:19-20, Paul says that this is the same power from the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. Since he did that, what can he not do for me now? It is no wonder that Paul said; “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:13)

But notice how this power works in us. It is by filling us with the love of God beyond what we are even able to understand. The older I get the more I realize how powerful love is. That should not surprise us since “God is love.” When we truly love, we give up self and begin to look around us. We love God so we do all we can to please him, without regard to what it costs us. We love others instead of being filled with self-interest. When we love like this, we give all we are to become more like God. It is then that we begin to realize why Jesus said that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Love is giving. It is giving ourselves for the good of others without regard to self. Think of the mother (or father) who spends the entire night walking the sick baby. Why and how do they do that without quitting or being filled with resentment? The answer is simple; they are empowered with love. God loves us so much that he gave his only son to die for our sin so that we can have eternal life with him. It is because of this great love that he has shown toward us that we are to love him in return and we are to love those around us.

Dear God, fill each of us with your Spirit so that we may be empowered with your love in our lives. May we have this love in our heart and our attitude so that it will show in our actions. 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.

May God bless each of us as we live for him today.