Ephesians 3:17
Do you look at that verse and find that you feel calm, less stressed, or perhaps even settled?
Paul prayed that the Ephesian Christians would be strengthened internally. He prayed for might in their spirit. He asked God that Christ would so settle down in their hearts and lives so that they would be settled down as well.
Have you ever had that uneasy feeling? Feeling like you can not gain control of what is going on in or around you?
Paul had begged God that the young believers would put their roots downward and bear fruit upwards. He wanted the church grounded in love, for to be established in love is the Christian life.
Jesus said that there is not much merit in merely loving those who love you- even sinners do that (see Lukas 6:32)! But when you begin to love people who don't love you and even get around to loving your enemies, then you are becoming established in love.
Sound so easy doesn't it? Loving our enemies I believe is the hardest thing that anyone of us can do. It's take a lot of faith to be able to love the unlikable.
This love requires renewal in the inner part of all of us. If the inner part of us is starved, the outer part will show it. If we ourselves are malnourished, we will be lethargic, self absorbed, and disinterested in anyone else's misfortunes. But as we make Christ at home in our hearts, He will constantly shed abroad His love, supplying us with the ability to love the "whole family" (Eph. 3:15).
If only Paul hadn't said that! If he had said that we were part of a family or that there wee a couple of family member he would like us to try to get along with...but he didn't. He reminds us that we are part of the "whole family," a family that needs loving and that is going to take a whole lot more than just mine. It's going to take Christ in the inner man-in all of us!
Do you feel you are rooted in the love of Christ, so that you may love others as well?
Prayer:
Lord, I come to you with an open heart. I ask that you help to keep us rooted up in your love, but grounded to where we can love others as well. I ask that you give us the spiritual strength to grow the love your provide in our hearts and settle down in your word.
Amen
With Love,
"B"
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