June 5th, 2008
Filled to the Measure
This morning I read Ephesians 3:14-21, and I was so struck by it that I thought I would just write it here with some of my thoughts. In order to give you the full picture of it (as I had at first) I will just copy it. Then I will put some of my thoughts to it. It is powerful. However, if you read it just as a check on your list of things you wanted to do today, it may not speak to you. So first, take a moment to ask God to show you what he wants to show you. Breathe deep, relax, ask the Holy Spirit who lives within you to refresh you.
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 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.
Can I ask you to read it again, slowly?
What is God saying to you? Many of you are dealing with a feeling of hopelessness or fears. The death of a spouse. The need to sell or buy a home. Health or spiritual issues with children or husband. The need for employment. The desire for purpose and some glimpse of hope. The despair that comes from frantic rushing without time to quietly enjoy and serve God.
Some of the thoughts that hit me:
- God wants to strengthen us with power through his Spirit in our inner being. Do you need strength and hope? He WANTS to give you the power to not only get through the day, but to find purpose and hope.
- God’s love surpasses all knowledge, and we can be “filled to the measure” with it. Filled with the peace and joy of God’s love.
- God can do immeasurably more than we can even ask or imagine. That may mean physical miracles, but it also may mean we can have miraculous power, hope and love to get through the impossible despair and hopeless situations we are currently in. God gives immeasurably more than we can ask.
- Why would he do this? To fill us with the love of God and so he can have glory in the church throughout all generations. When he does help us, we need to give the credit to him.
I had to ask myself – do I want God to do that for me? How am I showing I want that, by a quick five-minute prayer in the morning or as I fall asleep? Am I TRULY seeking God which means taking time to open up to him, falling at his feet and begging him to fix me and my situations? I do not discount despair or hopelessness. I have been there, and I have talked with many of you recently about that. We will all go through those times (probably many times in our lives). However, the only way out is to wait on God. We must admit he is the answer and make changes in our lives that “prove” we want him first. I won’t even begin to answer how we do that in each of our lives. If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit lives within you, and I believe he will show you what he wants you to do. However, I believe it begins by doing what we just did. Take time to relax and quiet yourself before our Almighty Creator. Only when we give him our despair, hopelessness and fears will he “fill us to the measure of all the fullness of God.”