Strengthened in Christ, 2

Brain teasers and riddles can be a lot of fun. I can’t say that I’ve ever been particularly good at them; in fact, I can think of many times where I needed some help or a clue in order to comprehend the riddle and discern the right answer. One of Paul’s prayers for the Ephesian believers is that they might be able to comprehend something about Christ, but he knows that they are going to need some help. The problem we have is that we don’t have perfect or infinite minds, so we struggle to comprehend the infinite and perfect nature and character of God. Paul recognized that God Himself and His infinite strength and love are just too wide, too long, too high, and too deep for us to comprehend fully (Eph 3:18). And so we need help. But the fact that Paul prays this for the Ephesians indicates that it can be possible with God’s help. This has been a theme of Ephesians that we need God’s help, but God is a generously gracious God. He blesses us with spiritual blessings; He promises us an inheritance; He opens our eyes to understand His hope, His inheritance, and His great power toward us; He saves us; He reconciles us with each other; and He reveals Himself. Even as amazing as comprehending our infinite God is, Paul prays further that they would be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph 3:19b). That means that what Paul wants for the Ephesians is for them to be filled up by an infinity that they need help to understand. To consider that God would do such a work to fill His people with all of His infinite goodness, love, and strength is even harder to comprehend than His infinite character itself. But this is what God does with His people when we submit ourselves to Him. He makes His glory known in the church (Eph 3:20-21) and He grows the church up into Him who is the Head (Eph 4:15-16). This is the perplexingly mystifying work that God is doing in His people, the church. Lord, fill us with all the fullness of God. –Pastor Rory

Sunday at Liberty