Yesterday, in Jesus Calling, the author used as a Scripture reference, Ephesians 3:16-19. While I was reading it though, I backed up to verse 13 to try to understand what Paul was saying. Here's what I came away with:
13 "Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God."
What a loaded passage! I've read through this several times since yesterday morning and I'm still asking Holy Spirit to help me sort through it. You know that I make no claims of Biblical scholarship. As I first read it, here's...in a nutshell...how it hit me:
"Angela, your trials and tribulations will never be wasted. They have happened so that others can KNOW the depth of My love for them."
Teary-eyed, I couldn't quite process all that this passage meant. So as I've pondered it several times more and I've asked the Holy Spirit to help me understand better...I've gone through word by word and tried to "unpack" it as some would say...because, boy is it packed!!! [Bear in mind, I'm not writing "Angela's translation"...just trying to understand better.]
v13: Because (in v12 we are told we have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Jesus), do not lose heart at my trouble or anguish on your behalf, for they are to you honor.
v14: Because they are for your honor, I bow my knees before the Father,
v15: the whole family in heaven and on earth receive their name from our Father,
v16: in the way that will absolutely best display His true character, I ask that He would give you strength and power that you receive through His Holy Spirit who dwells inside of you,
v17: His Spirit's strength and power will increase your faith to believe that Jesus Messiah actually dwells in your hearts, and this roots you and grounds you in love,
v18: being grounded in love helps you to understand or comprehend, along with all of the other holy ones (the saints) just how high, how deep, how long, how wide
v19: and to know...fully, completely, without a doubt...the love of Jesus Messiah...and it is a love that makes no sense...but you can be filled up to the point of being full...of God (who after all is Love!).
What an amazing God!
I know I took about twice the amount of words to break down what Paul wrote much more eloquently. But this has blown me away and I still don't completely understand it.
What Holy Spirit also brought to remembrance when I was processing through this, was a few months ago when a friend said to me, 'Angela, the things you've gone through have earned you the right to be heard by the single moms you know.' I knew what she meant. Because I don't have the common ground of single parenthood, I could very easily appear as condescending or rude. But having gone through great tragedy, having had the earth fall away from underneath me, drowning in sorrow and grief and utter dependence on God to provide are commonalities no matter what the specific circumstances were.
This was God's way of reminding me of this for the past two days, I am certain. When the temptation comes...and I'm realizing it will come...to think, 'Why do I have the right to speak to women (single or not) about "weightlessness" or "chasing lions"?' 'Who am I to tell single moms that God will never forget them and He will provide for them?' 'Why would they believe that God still loves them no matter the past, no matter the pain?'...God has graciously given me this passage in advance. It's my "stake in the ground" so to speak. This is a place I can hang my faith because I am promised that my tribulations are not worthless.
And the passage that comes right on the heels of verse 19?...one I have loosely quoted so many times on this blog and in personal conversations, I cannot even begin to count: v20 "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us..."
My trials = they can KNOW God's love fully = He can do more than I can ever imagine (and I have an amazingly vivid and huge imagination!).
So I can't leave this without asking the following: What trials have you experienced that He wants to turn into an opportunity to fill up someone else with His love? Think about it...ask Him why and how...and prepare to be amazed as He does more than you could ever dream!
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