July 29, 2018 Text: Ephesians 3:14-21
Dear Friends in Christ,
Whenever we know someone who is going through difficult times we may something like, “You are in my prayers” or “I’ll be praying for you.” We have probably had a Christian brother or sister say this to us. But what about those folks who say this to us, “you are in my thoughts.” Does that help you at all? Do they have any power to change things? Of course not. Does their thought make the chemo easier? Does it make your trip feel safer? Can it change the challenge with your children? Does it give you the words to talk to the obnoxious co-worker? Their thoughts are really meaningless. We need more.
This section of Scripture, which is our text for today, is entitled “Prayer for Spiritual Strength” in my Bible. Isn’t that something we all need? Where can you use added strength from our Lord in your life? Isn’t it a spiritual pick me-up when someone says to you . . .
“YOU ARE IN MY PRAYERS”
The Apostle Paul spent more time with the Ephesian congregation than any other mission church so he has great concern for their spiritual welfare. He is telling them, “You are in my prayers.” He prays that the Ephesians “be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts.”
The people needed to be renewed in their Christian nature so that they could battle their sinful nature. Paul is praying that Christ would continue to dwell in them through their baptism and that they would trust in the Lord.
We need those same things in our prayers. We battle our sinful nature. We need the reminder that Christ is dwelling with us. In Baptism His indwelling took root and we are his children. Pray for one another that we can trust the Lord and His direction. Christ brings peace, forgiveness, life, and salvation to those who are troubled by any fear or anxiety. “You are in my prayers.”
Paul then takes it a step further. He prays these brothers and sisters in Christ “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (vs. 18-19)
Knowledge of Christ is praised in this Letter, but the human mind cannot fully comprehend Him. This is how sinful man always gets into trouble. Everyone wants to figure out who the Lord is. They think they can completely know Him. Some think they can be Him. Some feel He doesn’t exist even though in their argument they are proving just the opposite. Why fight so hard against something that you say isn’t even real? God must laugh and laugh at the foolishness of His creation sometimes.
The more important thing than knowing Christ is Christ knowing you. There may be times in this vast world that we feel insignificant but you are important to the Savior. It was for fallen humanity that God sent Jesus to set things right between himself, all creation, and us. The fate of all human history reached its climax when Christ died in that little insignificant patch of land called Israel. His love didn’t end there. He sent missionaries throughout the world to get the word of life out. He saw to it that faithful parents, grandparents, or friends spoke that love to generations of people. “You are in my prayers.”
With these bold requests, does Paul exceed the limits of prayer? Is he asking God for too much? Should we be cautious in what we expect? That is not how the Apostle Paul sees it when he writes, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (vs. 20-21)
God is not limited in how He can answer our prayers. He is God and we need to never forget that. We limit his help when we aren’t taking our problems to Him. Talk to Him and tell him about that ache in your heart that won’t go away. Bow your head and explain the help you need to get out of a tunnel where you see no light ahead. Hit your knees and give the Lord that hurt that won’t leave your thoughts. Then also ask your Christian brothers and sisters for their help and with it their words to you, “You Are In My Prayers.”
Amen.