so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength 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, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19 [ESV]
First things first -> BELLA IS HOME! We picked her up from the airport last night and then had dinner all together at McD’s. All of Bella’s sisters were so anxious to see her. Since Marianne and I just got to see Bella in Guatemala, we got all our tears out then but see the love of these girls for each other made us well-up again. So excited to spend some time together with her as a family, love on her, and hear all the stories of her trip to Thailand, Cambodia, South Africa, and Guatemala.
Today’s passage is Sophie’s life passage. When I really started into memorizing scripture, committing my family’s life verses was the first thing I did. We start here from my previous quiet time’s passage which is the start of Paul’s prayer, on his knees before God, asking for strength in the Spirit that has been placed in our inner being. So that, “Jesus might dwell in our hearts through faith.”
I really like the building of this prayer with steps that precede one another.
- Indwelling of the Spirit (vs 16)
- Jesus dwelling in our hearts through faith (v 17)
- Rooted and grounded in love (v 17)
- Produces strength to wrap our brains around the totality and greatness of the love Jesus has for us (v 18)
- Which in turn helps us ‘know’ the love of Jesus which cannot be understood with just human understanding (v 19)
- So that -> we may be filled with the fullness of God. (v 19)
Throughout my Christian walk, I have seen these play out. The important part of reading these verses is that we must stay true to God’s Word in obedience, trust, and love for more knowledge of Him. When we let the idols of this world creep in with prominence, this chain is broken and we must start back a number 2 again…inviting Jesus to have ownership of the desires of our hearts.
What step are you at in your walk as a believer? Have you accepted Jesus to receive the indwelling of the Spirit? Have you surrendered your life and heart to Jesus? Is your faith grounded and anchored in a love for Him? Has your love for Jesus grown because of the ability to understand the greatness of His love for you? Because you now know how undeserving you are of the grace and love you have been given, had your life transformed in a love for others? In service to Jesus in love, have you experienced a filling of the fullness of God?
Today’s Psalm:
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Psalms 34:8-10 [ESV]
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.