Dear Faith Family,
As one reading this email, I hope you know that you are prayed for, specifically and often. Sometimes my prayers for you are particular, seeking our Father with you amidst specific circumstances, longings, needs, afflictions, opportunities, and joys. And sometimes, I pray for you, and us, something less particular yet more essential and elemental.
This prayer was prayed for another faith family millennia ago, and in light of our recent focus, it rings relevant for our life together in Jesus today. Here are the words prayed for you, today and regularly, and why they matter...
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through the Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—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 the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or imagine, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
(Ephesians 3:14-21)
Paul could have (and certainly did) pray particulars for his faith family. Yet, his essential prayer is that they would discern and experience in daily life the fullness of the power at work within them--the abundance beyond request and vision of His riches, His life, in their lives.
It seems Paul believed the tensions of the particulars--the losses, fears, needs, as well as the hopes and heights--which cause us to bow our knees, find their relief, their peace, in the intimate awareness of Christ's dwelling in us. And he knew they'd need strength from outside themselves to trust, rest in, and experience the abundant life from the transformative affections of Jesus for them.
Notice in the prayer that the power of the Spirit is not for us to accomplish something or to overcome something or to figure something out, but instead, to strengthen our inner being for the immensity of Jesus abiding in us. Perhaps we should follow Paul's lead, and before (or as) we pray the particulars for one another, pray the essentials with one another.
Try it this week. Let this scriptured prayer be your entry into prayer for your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, even yourself. To help, start by filling in the blanks below. As your doing so, let the Spirit's power work within and through, to the glory of God in our (and every) faith family. Love you, faith family. God bless!
For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom _____ is named, that according to the riches of our Father's glory, our Father may grant ____ to be strengthened with power through the Spirit in _____('s) inner being, so that Christ may dwell in _____('s) hearts through faith—that _____, 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 _____ may be filled with the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we (me and _____) ask or imagine, according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen