Verse of the Day 10/5

Verse of the Day 10/5

Ephesians 3:17-19

New International Version

17b  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 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, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

I read this chapter earlier in the week and these verses have been on my mind several times since then.  They come in the middle of the book of Ephesians but come across more like a benediction. But in the chapter Paul had been explaining his ministry and how the power of Christ had been displayed and working through him even through sufferings.  He is now encouraging his readers that they should not lose heart over his sufferings.  He prays that instead they may be established, receive strength and be able to grasp the height and depth and length of God's love.

The "power" that he uses in this verse is "dunamus" from which we get the word dynamite.  It is explosive power, power to blow up strongholds of worry and doubt and enable us to grasp, to know deep down in our hearts the love of God.

I'm reminded of the Wes King song, 'The Love of Christ".  Read the lyrics and read the passage below in Ephesians and may you know how long, how high and how deep is the love of Christ.

Incomparable kindness to less than the least
To the broken, the battered, and weak
To all who are hungry there comes a call
To be filled with the fullness of God
It's beyond all you can see
Farther than you'd believe
It's a mystery
My prayer for you is that you would know

CHORUS:
How wide, and how long, and how high, how deep is the love
How deep is the love of Christ

The width of two arms outstretched on a tree
The length of the road to Calvary
The height of the crown on a cruel cross
The depth of the pain is the cost
All for you, all for me
All for love did He bleed
All to set us free
My prayer for you is that you woul know

How wide, and how long, and how high, how deep is the love
How deep is the love of Christ

Blessings,

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

Ephesians 3:14-21

New International Version

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 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, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.