Ephesians 3 Devotional

Love Too Wide to Measure

“In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.”Ephesians 3:12 (BSB)

Ephesians 3 begins with Paul in prison, explaining a secret now made plain. Through the gospel, Gentiles are fellow heirs with Israel, members of the same body, and sharers in the same promise (3:6). Paul, less than the least of the saints, has been given the grace of announcing it (3:8). Even the church is on display, showing God's wisdom to the powers in the heavenly realms (3:10).

Then Paul kneels to pray. He does not ask for his own release. He asks that the Father would strengthen believers by his Spirit, that Christ would make his home in their hearts, and that together they would grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ is, a love beyond knowing (3:16-19). He closes by praising the God whose power can do far more than anything we ask or imagine (3:20). Through faith in Christ we may come before God boldly and confidently (3:12). That is reason enough to pray large prayers, beginning with this one.

To think about: What would change in your prayers today if you asked first to know more of Christ's love?