I have a friend from Australia and one day when we were driving around together we scored a great space in the front of the store we were going to. "Yea! I love it when I get good parks!" she exclaimed. That cracked me up. It's true, small things like a space up front can really make my day. We have her to thank for a new favorite family saying. That reminds me of something we're studying in school right now- the book of Ephesians. Yes, my parking dilemnas make me think of the Bible. :)
We're taking a month and reading through this tiny letter every day and then taking time to talk about it, meditate on it and pray through it. This is a book packed with wisdom and insight for believers. Small but mighty. I find when I read the same thing over and over in scripture, instead of getting old, it gets better. Funny how that never happens with anything else. I'd never consider reading a newspaper article more than 30 times. And even if I did, I'd never expect to glean much more than I did the first time around. God's Word isn't like that though. There is such a depth to it that there is no way to exhaust it. Start reading cross references and meditating on each verse and it's as if a whole new world opens up. It always makes me smile when I find a new connection or thread tying scripture to scripture. I shouldn't be surprised but sometimes I am.
While in prison, Paul wrote Ephesians to his fellow believers at the church in Ephesus. He loved these folks because he had established their church during his third missionary journey (Acts 19) and spent about 3 years as their pastor. After he left, Timothy pastored the flock for about a year and a half, mostly because there were some movers and shakers in the church who were teaching false doctrine. It's interesting that even at that early stage in the church, there were Christians who were being led down the wrong path by folks claiming to be believers, who spoke with authority and confidence, but didn't really know the truth. (1 Tim. 1:7)
There are only 6 chapters in Ephesians. The first three are focused on theology and doctrine, and the last three are practical insights into Godly living. In chapter one, Paul starts off reminding the Ephesians of the indescribably vast riches they posess in Christ. Not only are they (and we) blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms right now, but also in the past and the future! God chose us before the foundation of the world to be adopted as sons and in the future he will gather all things together to Himself and we will receive an inheritance that we could never imagine.
And why did God chose to save us? Because of His own pleasure and will, for the praise of His glory.
Paul prays a fervent prayer for these believers in Ephesians 1:15-23. What a contrast to prayers I often find myself offering up. "Lord, bless me today, keep me safe, help me find good parks." These words he prays spill out from his understanding that we should set our minds on things above, not on earthly things..because earthly things are temporal but heavenly things are eternal. (Colossians 3:2) Paul is praying for those he loved with eternity in mind. These are words I can turn right around and pray for those I love as well.
Lord, thank you for this person I love. Father, would you please give them a spirit of wisdom and reveal knowledge of Yourself to them? Please open their spiritual eyes of understanding so that they may know the hope of your calling and the vast riches of the inheritance they have in You. Lord, let them know that the same power that You used to raise Jesus from the dead is working in them because they believe in you. After You raised Jesus from the dead, you seated Him at your right hand in the heavenly realms. Jesus is above all principality, power, might, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the that which is to come. All things are under His feet and he is head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
This prayer is very similar to the prayer Paul prays for the church in Colossae in Colossians 1:9-12. In that prayer, he also prays that these believers will walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
These are powerful words to pray for those we love, and even for ourselves. As believers we know that outwardly we are wasting away but inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16) I believe that God hears all of my prayers- even the ones for parking spaces- and I also believe that if that is the extent of my prayer life for the day, I am missing out on a fabulous conversation and immeasurable blessing. My prayers should reflect the hope of eternity and the incredible riches that I have in Jesus.
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