Paul’s Prayer for Us

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Scripture: Ephesians 1:18-23 (NIV)

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Devotion:

            In the scripture above Paul is saying a prayer for the church at Ephesus. I believe that we can appropriate this prayer for the church in today’s world. Since the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write it in scripture we can safely use it as our own. It is a powerful prayer. One that the church in our time desperately needs to hear and claim as its own. Let us then explore this prayer and its mighty petitions so that we may apply it to our own lives and claim it as our own.

            The first petition that Paul prays for us in this prayer is that God might open the eyes of our hearts. In order that we would know the great hope that we have been called to through the work of his Son Jesus. Our world today especially in the United States ignores God. Even some in the church ask of what use is the church today. Paul encourages us to meditate on God’s incredibly great and awesome power by which he created, redeemed, and sustains the world. Our simple faith and costly discipleship will help us to know what God has in store for us in this world and the next.

            We are invited to continue meditating on the great power that God displayed by raising his precious Son Jesus, from the grave. Death thought it defeated God when the Son died upon his cross. In reality death was defeated by the power of God’s resurrection love. With the victory Christ won for us through his glorious resurrection, we can be assured of our future lives with him in heaven. We are to think about the fact that Christ lives forever in the throne room of God in heaven. All this world’s powers and authorities now belong to him.

Prayer:

            Lord, help us to make this prayer our own. May the church recognize her true power as the body of Christ on earth. May we live as your people. Help us to love one another with the great love you have given us in Christ Jesus. Let us serve you faithfully. Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may live in the power of God for the rest of our days on earth and on into eternity. Help us to make Paul’s prayer for the saints of Ephesus our own. May the eyes of our hearts be opened to all the wonderful things you are preparing for us when we meet you in heaven. Amen.

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