Living in the Spirit

July 23, 2021

Scripture Reading:

Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.

This prayer is an astounding commentary on a world ruled by people whose fragile self-worth teeters tenuously on their place in the caste system they let define them. Caste systems are human creations contrived for evil gain and passed to generation after generation, accepting them as the norm. We are all God’s children, loved and cherished for who we are and what we can become. Paul states it this way: For this reason. I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.

God’s original design of the world was based on this premise. Whenever we chose to alter this vision of oneness chaos always ensues. God created us with the ability to live in oneness. God gifted us with God’s love and the ability to Love others. Indeed, we are never alone in striving to live God’s love. We will never find any shortcuts or rationales in the ways of the world that will ever supersede God’s design. We do waste a lot of time and energy trying.

Prayer: I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.