All the Fullness of God!

Ephesians 3:14-21
This week I have been reflecting on a prayer that Paul prayed over the church in his letter to the Ephesians.
In most of Paul’s letters, he begins with exultation and then lets that lead into exhortation. The letter to the Ephesians is no different. Paul has been exulting or rejoicing over who God is in the first half of his letter, and he is transitioning into the part where he exhorts the church of Ephesus.
Paul bridges exultation and exhortation with this prayer.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 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 3:14-19 ESV)
This prayer is a prayer for the supernatural. Paul is asking that the believers in Ephesus be filled with the knowledge of Christ’s love that “surpasses knowledge.” That is an amazing request! Paul is asking that this little church be empowered by the Holy Spirit to know the unknowable bigness of God’s love for them in Christ Jesus.
Here is the most incredible part. It comes right after Paul’s request for supernatural knowledge, and it starts with “that.” Little words can pack a tremendous punch! This little word, “that,” ties the supernatural knowledge of the love of God that is Christ Jesus with something that is incredible, unthinkable, amazing. Paul says, “that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
That is what I want! I want to be filled with all the fullness of God today! Do you want that? Do you pray this way? Let Paul’s prayer shape your prayers today. Pray with me that God will grant us the ability to comprehend the unknowable bigness of His love for us in Christ Jesus so that we will be filled with all the fullness of God.

For your joy in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Charles