January 06 2012, 7:22 am | Bill Elliff
Paul prayed for those under his care and in his sphere of influence--constantly. He prayed specifically, it seems, and we know this because he would often tell them WHAT he prayed. After the incredible rehearsal of our spiritual blessings in Christ, Paul rehearses his prayer for the Ephesians. He was praying that they would come to genuinely, experientially KNOW SOMETHING. (Ephesians 1)
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
The ultimate thing we need to know is HIM. The word for "know" here is the word that means a true, experiential knowledge. Not merely a head knowledge, but a life knowledge. It's the same idea expressed in the Hebrew language when it says that "Adam knew Eve" and is speaking about sexual intimacy. It's a relationship...like you know your wife or your deepest friend on earth, but even a greater experience because God is God.
Out of that relationship springs 3 more things that Paul prayed they would know. He knew this could only come by spiritual revelation ("that..the Father...may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation....having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know...).
1. The HOPE to which He has called you. The great story for the believer is not his past, but his future. Our hope is secure and steadfast. And it is glorious. Our hope (the confident assurance of certain, future events) is that we are going to be fully redeemed. The Holy Spirit is the downpayment for this. Christ is going to sum it all up and bring it to a glorious consummation. We need to really, really KNOW this because it will color and drive everything we do.
2. The RICHES of His glorious inheritance in the saints. This is not speaking of OUR inheritance (which he speaks of earlier in the chapter) but GOD'S inheritance. What God is about to receive in this great, glorious, fully redeemed body of the believers of all the ages. This is rich for God. It is a treasure. We often think of ourselves as a rag-tag group of nothings, but God doesn't view it that way. We are the literally BODY of Christ, the "fullness of Him who fills all in all" (vs. 23). We FILL OUT Christ, as it were...an amazing thought!
3. The immeasurable greatness of His POWER toward us who believe. When we start thinking of our HOPE and God's INHERITANCE our immediate thought is "there is no way this can happen." We are so sinful and so messed up...how can God resurrect something like us into this glorious body, this final consummation that delights God's heart and makes Him even richer? We need to KNOW and understand that the power to do this is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the heavenlies.
So, we are to be fueled, driven, motivated, encouraged by our sure HOPE, our great VALUE to God as His inheritance, and the confidence that He has the POWER to pull all this off!
Do you know these things today? Are you living in this reality? If so, you wouldn't be quite so discouraged. In fact, you would radiate with joy and, like Paul, be able to "rejoice in all things!"
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