Rooted In Love




In Ephesians 3 the Apostle Paul writes a beautiful prayer for his readers regarding their spiritual growth. It is one of my favorite passages in all of Paul's writings. I am struck as much by what isn't here as what is here. In our western, "Do it yourself" "Work hard" culture, one often gets the idea that if you want to grow you've got to put your hand to the plow and make it happen. Paul though doesn't pray that the Ephesians will be better church attendees, better Bible readers, or more powerful prayer warriors.  Instead of praying for them to BE or DO better, Paul prays that they would SEE and UNDERSTAND better. 

 Ephesians 3:14-21 (NLT)
14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 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. 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Among all that's going on in this passage, I think Paul wants the Ephesians to See and Understand at least two things:
1. Paul wants them to see and understand that God is Powerful 
  • God is, "the creator of everything in heaven and on earth
  • He has, "glorious, unlimited resources"
  • He is able to, "Accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."
  • This mighty power works in us (See vs. 16 and 20)
Paul is saying the God we serve is quite powerful. He's bigger and greater and capable of more than we can imagine. If this were the end of the story we should be scared. We should run and hide. But Paul also paints another picture. There's another side to this God that Paul wants them to see. 

2. Paul wants them to see and understand that God is loving 

  • Christ wants to "make his home in your hearts as you trust in Him"
  • God can be trusted 
  • Our roots grow down deep into God's love
  • His love is Deep, wide, long, and high
  • His love is too great to understand fully
Notice here that Paul doesn't just pray for them to understand God's love, He prays that they would experience it. To understand God's love and to actually experience it are two very different things. Paul tells us that, "Then we will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."


So When is "Then"?
The "Then" comes as we see, understand, and experience God's love and power. 

If God is simply powerful we should be afraid. 

If He is simply loving then we have a good God who can do nothing about our problems. 

But if He is both loving and powerful, we have a wonderful God who not only cares for us but can do something about our dilemmas. 

Do you want to grow spiritually?

 Start with seeing, understanding, and experiencing God's love and power in your life.
I would argue that many times our failure of growth is a failure to understand and experience the Love and power of our great God. 

May you sink down deep into His love today. May you rest in the fact that he is more than capable to take care of you. May you experience His love and power in your life until you are made complete. 


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