June 26. Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21
These two prayers in Ephesians are so helpful to me as I pray for my beloveds. Have you noticed how little Paul prays for those he loves in mundane ways? I don’t see a lot of praying for success in their jobs or raises in their salaries. Nope. Paul prays for the character and hearts of the ones under his care. I love seeing this modeled. You see, I am often so caught up in asking God to keep all my dear ones ‘safe and happy” that I don’t realize how sometimes God wants more for them than just that. He wants them to grow and mature in Him. He wants them to bear fruit for His kingdom. Sometimes that means uncomfortable and hard things are allowed in their lives as part of the pruning and shaping process. My own desire for my loved ones to always be happy and never have problems is actually not always in their best interest. Yikes.
In our first section of prayer, Paul’s focus is asking God to help his loved ones grow in knowledge of God and understanding. How important it is for us to know God. Really know that He is vast and big and powerful and caring and loving and able to do more than we could ask or imagine. The more we know about God, the safer we feel with Him! This prayer is a marvelous one to pray for your children, your friends, your spouse, your grandchildren. It’s a prayer of depth and richness and a desire for them to know the One who matters most and Who loves them best!
Our second section of prayer returns to that great topic of God’s love for us. It links well with I Corinthians 13. If we can grasp just how very much God loves us and bask in that, then we can give out love more easily. Paul stretches for words big enough to encompass the hugeness and completeness of God’s love for His own. These are marvelous words. What a great thing to pray for our own families! That they would know this love from God and embrace it! I think I may choose verses from this passage for my next annual “family verse.” Each year on January 1st, I choose a new verse or verses to pray over my family for the year. I think I’ve found the 2022 family verses!
My verse: Ephesians 3:19 “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
My response: What a beautiful prayer to pray for someone! That they would experience the love of Christ!! When we know Your love—deep down—dear Lord, when we know that it is personal and intimate and for us, then we are made complete. Wow. That’s when we walk in freedom and fullness of joy. That’s how we are equipped with the “power that comes from God.” Thank You, Lord Jesus, for a love that rich and deep and full and completing!
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My verses are Ephesians 1: 22-23
God has put all things under the authority of Christ
and has made Him head over all things for the benefit
of the church. And the church is His body; it is made
full and complete by Christ, who fills all things every-
where with Himself.
Dear God, I thank You that the church is considered
the body of Christ and that I as a believer am able
to be a part of Your church. Thank You, Jesus that
You are present everywhere that people gather in
in Your name. Amen
It is SO nice to “belong” isn’t it? I love our local church, and I love that we are part of the church universal – all the people everywhere at every time who bowed the knee to Jesus and proclaimed Him Lord and Savior of all!