Ephesians 3:17-21(paraphrase) – Since you are already rooted and established in love, I pray you’ll have power, together with all the Lord’s set-apart-people, to lay hold of just how wide, long, high and deep Christ’s love truly is. It’s such a gigantic and glorious love, it surpasses exhaustive knowing. The more fully you know Christ’s love, the more God’s fullness will fill you up and overflow to the praise of his glory.
Dear Jesus, we’re so glad the Holy Spirit authored this prayer, because it’s much bigger than our theological understanding and personal experience. It affirms and asks for more than we can wrap our feeble minds and hearts around.
For starters, thank you for already rooting and establishing us in your love. Only you could plant us, and only you can keep us in your love. Jesus, you will hold us fast because you have saved us fully. And now what is our greatest need and calling? To grow in our experience of your loveliness and love.
Jesus, some of us remember the love we first felt from you, and the love we had for you, when we first came to know you (Rev.2:2-4). Others of us have forgotten, now deny it, or even run from that memory. Such is our weakness, and such is the stratagem of the devil (2 Cor.11:2-3). Transcend all of that stuff and story, Jesus.
Recapture… Reclaim… Restore… Refresh… Renew our hearts and our love for you. That’s what we want, Jesus. We have no greater need. And this is our confidence … “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Indeed, So Very Amen.