Ephesians 3:17b-19
that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 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.
I touched on this idea yesterday, but since Paul thinks it okay to mention strength twice, I will too.
Have you ever had one of those days when you just didn’t want to get out of bed? Maybe it was because of a test, a job responsibility, a household responsibility, or something even bigger. You knew that what lay before you was a large task, and up to it or not, the bed seemed like a nice, safe place to be.
Not only was the task daunting, but even the mere thought of it was enough to make you unsure of yourself. Sometimes I think that is how the love of God should make us feel. Not that we can’t live in his love and enjoy it, I definitely think that is appropriate. But it should be more than just that for us. There is that whole “pick up your cross” thing Jesus spoke of. Unless we know the breadth and length and height and depth of His love, how in the world are we going to be able to pick up our cross, and why would we want to?
There is a benefit to seeing the full scope of His love. It is that we might be filled with the fullness of God. I think Paul alludes to the impossibility of this happening to perfection on this earth because he states that Christ’s love surpasses knowledge. But what a soul-strengthening goal, to know Him, to seek to understand Him, to trust Him more and more that we might see the fullness of His love for us.
I want that.
2 comments:
"Unless we know the breadth and length and height and depth of His love, how in the world are we going to be able to pick up our cross, and why would we want to?"
I love that! One of the best things that I have read this week.
I know that love has got me through some very difficult seasons in my life. There have been days when the only thing that kept me going was the love of Christ on the cross. In despair I would remember His suffering and know that I was loved.
Yes. I sometimes wonder how those with no faith can endure hard times. Sadly, some don't.
I remember telling a friend about some things I had gone through. Her response was, "It is amazing you still believe in God!" (And she was a Christian) I said, "I couldn't have made it through without Him!"
Thanks for the comments!
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