The Fullness Of God

Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:8-19

Let go of your own efforts to perfect yourself.

If you realize that your own efforts are enough to be whole and right with God, “then there is no need for Christ to die.” Only by letting go of – dying to – self-reliance, can you experience Jesus living in you. Only in your imperfection can you experience God’s perfect power.

This doesn’t mean we should stop relying on our own strength to grow spiritually.

In this lifetime, we will always be works in progress. But as our hearts humbly accept our constant need for the only perfect One, Jesus makes His home there. Rooted in Him, we are free to grow even deeper in the love “too great” to ever “understand fully.”

We are free to grow in Jesus’s love.

Our Daily Bread – July 25, 2018