Paul’s letters to the churches fill a large part of the New Testament. He established several churches, went through numerous hardships for the Lord (whippings, beatings, even stoned once) and ultimately died for Christ.

He often prayed for others, and I especially love one of his prayer topics in Ephesians 3:17b-19… see if you can fill in the blanks…

”…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to ___________________and to _______________.”

Paul prayed for the church to have power to do what? Establish more churches? Go on missionary journeys? Suffer persecution? All become pastors? Share the Gospel? Fast for 40 days? Become martyrs?

No, in these verses Paul prayed they would have power to grasp how big God’s love is and to know His love that cannot fully be known (my paraphrase/ full verses below).

To know God’s love.

Does this surprise you?

One of my earliest struggles with the Lord was that I believed He could love everyone else except for me. I knew my own faults and sins too well, I thought He never could really love me. I wonder if Paul wrestled with this too, given his prior history of murdering early Christians?

I really never truly knew God loved me until I had my first son. It was then that I finally understood God loves me not for anything I do for Him, but simply because I am His child. He made me, He loves me, regardless of what I do or don’t do.

Unconditional love.

Why did Paul pray this, when he could have prayed for all the other topics above?

I think I know. Because we will never truly be effective for the Lord until we know – grasp, understand, are overwhelmed by, and amazed by- God’s love for us.

Take time today to pray this for yourself and for those around you.

”…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, 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.“
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬b-19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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