The Incredible Greatness of God's Power

These past four and a half years, I must admit that reading the Bible has not been much of a priority. It wasn't that I hated it, or that I got nothing out of it... but I could never seem to become disciplined or motivated to do it. At that time, I was still so unaware of all the ways I was still enslaved... all the ways I was numbing myself. And one of the byproducts of that numbing was avoiding the word.

Most of the stories and messages that I knew from scripture were remembered through hearing sermons and listening to worship music. Now I do have a great love of music, and to this day, it still somehow never ceases to amaze me how much scripture I know just for the sheer fact that I can remember song lyrics amazingly well. Whenever I read a passage for the very first time, but realize that I already know the words, I just laugh and start singing whatever praise and worship song I know it from. I can never seem to remember addresses to verses, or where I have read something in the Bible, but if it is in a song, I'll remember.

This past year, as I have made the conscious CHOICE to follow God in seeking healing, I made a committment to read the entire New Testiment from beginning to end. I did not give myself a time limit, for in the past that tactic has most often lead to immediate self sabotage. To date, I am only about a third of the way through, but I am moving forward.

I find that when I choose to get up and read (especially several days in a row), it is so helpful in moving foward with my layers. Of course, when I hit the rough patches in between, unfortunately the word lies unopened on my desk for sometimes weeks at a time. But this week, I have been picking it back up again in the mornings, and I am finding my days are better, I am less apathetic, and it is giving me something to focus on while I am biding my time to departure.

This morning I opened up my Bible, and since I have just recently completed the book of Galations, I turned to the next book... Ephesians. Now, I have read Ephesians before, but it has been long enough ago that the only part I remember well is Ephesians 5. So I am looking forward to rereading the entire book again to see what it holds (in addition to the extremely important messages on marriage and childrearing).

As I read the first chapter, one section really stood out to me.

Ephesians 1:15-23 (New Living Translation)
Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom
Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

I am looking at this list of things that Paul is praying for the people of Ephesus...... spiritual wisdom and insight to grow in their KNOWLEDGE of God, hearts flooded in light so they could understand the CONFIDENT HOPE He has given to those He has called, and understanding of the GREATNESS OF GOD"S POWER for those who believe him.

I want these things in my life. I want to grow in my knowledge of God and to understand the confident hope He has given me. Don't we all? But the thing that really struck me was Paul praying that they would understand the greatness of God's power for US. How many of us have come even close to beginning to understand the greatness of His power for us? How many of us even believe that the greatness of His power is FOR us?

I have always liked the expression about head knowledge versus heart knowledge. Sometimes it can be easy to read God's word and know in our heads that it is truth. But we don't really understand the power and application of that truth, thus lacking the heart knowledge. I think in a way, that's what Paul is talking about here. He wants us not just to know that God's great power is for us, but he wants us to understand exactly how great that power is! And he wants us to not only understand how great that power is, but to truly understand in our hearts that this great power is indeed for us.

Imagine how different our lives would be if we were able to understand and walk in this truth! It would be amazing!

Lord Jesus, you are truly amazing and powerful! I thank you that the greatness of your power is for everyone who believes you! I humbly ask that you give me spiritual wisdom and insight so that I may grow in my understanding of you, Lord. I ask you to flood my heart with light so I can understand the confident hope you have given to those you call [me]. And I pray that you will help me understand the incredible greatness of your power [that is] for me. I love you. Amen.