One of the most beautiful prayers ever recorded is found in Ephesians 3:14-19, Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. He is asking God to grant them (according to the riches of His glory) strength, and power in the inner man. He asks that Christ Jesus dwells in their hearts. He prays that they would be rooted and established in love and that they are able to comprehend the enormity of God’s love … so that they may be filled with all the fullness of God.
We could spend weeks studying the depth of that prayer. It might be better, however, to spend our time praying that prayer for others and even for ourselves. But this morning, it was the following verse (vs 20) that caught my attention. “Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us….” [HCSB]
The NKJV renders “able to do above and beyond all,” as “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all.”
Reading that verse was God’s way of reminding me that all too often I think too small!
And yes, I agree with God that all too often I do think too small and expect too little. How often are my prayers driven by temporal needs? How often is my vision focused on what is around me? How often do I pray a perfunctory prayer without much faith?
Paul lifted his eyes to the heavens. He prayed that his readers would comprehend – COMPREHEND! – the “width and length and depth and height” of God’s love for the purpose of being “filled with all the fullness of God.”
I am duly chastened, LORD, and I will strive to raise my eyes to the heavens … to Your glory … and pray with greater expectations about all You are able to do above and beyond all that I can imagine. Amen.
