How Wide, How Deep, How Long; Ephesians

May the mumbling commence!

Welcome to Ephesians!  The past thirty days, we delved into First John.  We took a long hard look at how the author of First John defined love.  We also spent a couple of days looking at prayer.  I wish to spend the first day of our thirty days in Ephesians looking at a prayer of Paul for all Christians to know together the love of Christ.  Read from Ephesians chapter three (Phillips Translation):

When I think of the greatness of this great plan I fall on my knees before God the Father (from whom all fatherhood, earthly or heavenly, derives its name), and I pray that out of the glorious richness of his resources he will enable you to know the strength of the spirit's inner re-enforcement – that Christ may actually live in your hearts by your faith. And I pray that you, firmly fixed in love yourselves, may be able to grasp (with all Christians) how wide and deep and long and high is the love of Christ – and to know for yourselves that love so far beyond our comprehension. May you be filled though all your being with God himself! (Verses 14-19)

What a prayer!  We will receive spiritual re-enforcements – our very being filled with God.  We will choose to live in Christ through our hearts by faith.  And God will hold us firmly in the grasp of His love.

Paul asks us to fathom with all Christians the love of God.  Oh the depths!  Oh the breadth!  The love of God is beyond our comprehension.  To learn of the love of God dwarfs even a lifetime of pursuit of the heart of God.

This passage makes me think of one of my favorite old hymns called “The love of God”.  Here are the lyrics:

“The love of God is greater far

Than tongue of pen can tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

And reaches to the lowest hell.

The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

Chorus

O love of God, how rich and pure! 

How measureless and strong!

It shall forever more endure

The saints and angels song.

When hoary time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;

When men who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call;

God’s love, so pure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace from Adam’s race

The saints and angels song.

Chorus

Could we with ink the ocean fill

And were the skies of parchment made;

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

hough stretched from sky to sky.

Chorus”

And all God’s people said…  AMEN.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out