Devotion for 21 MAY 2011 Anno Domini

Devotion for 21 MAY 2011 Anno Domini
“12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Eph 3:12-21)
“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.” In the days of the Kings of Persia (Cyrus, the three Darius’, Xerxes, Artaxerxes, etc) it was a serious undertaking to approach the King. If any of his subjects, including his wife, approached, they risked their lives if he did not lower his golden scepter to them. One could not approach with boldness for the king might be in a bad mood. If he was, you would have a really bad day! But, in Christ, we have courage and confidence that we may approach God without fear and in firmness of faith that He will always admit us to His Chamber.
“Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” Instead of being encouraged to great faith and action, Paul feared that the Ephesians might be affected in a contrary manner, i.e., be DISCOURAGED at the knowledge of his suffering. They are justified to glory in the knowledge that one is willing to suffer for them – and no one more than Christ.
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our outward posture in worship should reflect our inward reverence. In proper Prayer Book Worship, we kneel to pray, and so does Paul. Our posture does affect our mind. George S. Patton believed that a soldier who “dressed like a soldier” would ACT more as a soldier should act. Kneeling is a humble gesture in prayer. Why should we not bow down when we approach so exalted a Throne and Sovereign? “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”
“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” “There are two prayers of Paul in this epistle. In the first, the apostle petitions God for knowledge; and in the second, he prays for love. The first is a prayer for revelation; the second is for realization. The first prayer is for enlightenment; the second is for enablement. It is not enough merely to know; we must be. The fruit of divine knowledge is the expression of divine life.”—Lehman Strauss Commentary. In the physical world, there are three dimensions with which we are familiar. But Paul adds a fourth dimension in his description of Love – “breadth, and length, and depth, and height”. This fourth dimension is ‘breadth’! The breadth of God’s Love cannot be measured by physical means but by spiritual only! Since it surpasses the means of knowledge, it is a dimension with which we cannot measure, only at which we must wonder. The hymn, “The Love of God” tells us:
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky
Examine Paul’s prayer benediction: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Please observe that God is exceedingly able to do more than we can even ask, and more than we can ever imagine – because His powers are of an entirely different dimension from all of which we are aware. His Mind is Infinite – ours, finite. And that infinite power can work IN us if we will but cast our burdens and cares upon His abundant riches to address. His Glory is not confined by time and space. It is unlimited and omnipresent across the expanse of Eternity. In the Church should reside His great glory through all ages of time, and then into an eternity future. If reverence, truth, humility, and faith do not exist in full measure in the church, where can it exist?