Ephesians 1
What Jumped Out:
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:17)
Why it Jumped Out:
He planned and created the life of each person, so everyone was born because of and through Him. (Ephesians 1:4-5)
While this chapter usually enthuses me with words like inheritance, predestined, adoption, pleasure, riches, every spiritual blessing, redemption, wisdom, revelation, etc., this time I was attracted to and easily impressed upon by v17(b) “so that you may know him better”.
How this Bible Scripture Changes my Life:
I believe the born and the unborn have experiences with God.
Paul stated he repetitively requests from God, that we may know God better. The Apostle Paul is not prescribing religious works nor religious activity or duty fulfillment. Instead, his prescription prompts us towards increased intimacy and a special kind of “giving” to God. This type of giving is non-material.
Intimacy with God is giving one’s entire self to Him, including the sharing of one’s thoughts, the details of our encounters, inviting Him into our relationships, our words, conversations, and even the most minute activities, concerns and occurrences in our days.
While faithfulness to Jesus Christ is important, knowing Him better is not being overly “faithful” or overly “dedicated” to religious activity, but instead by giving every aspect of our lives over to Him and including Him in not only our days, but also, the minutes and seconds of the day. To know Him better, we should invite Him into everything with praise and thanksgiving. By doing so, we are giving our seconds, minutes, hours and days to God. Proverbs 16:3 says, “What you submit to the Lord will be established (or succeed).” Since He knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:8), I believe He is waiting for us to draw closer to Him by simply inviting Him into and giving to Him the intimate parts of our lives.
Sometimes we have problems or situations that we don’t take to Him. Since He created everything, He can fix everything.
My Prayer
Lord, forgive me for when I have kept you at a distance, for not inviting you to have your way in areas of my life that I thought I had control over or didn’t think you were interested in. Thank you that whatever we commit to you will succeed according to your Word. Therefore, God fully enter in to my entire life not because of the so many blessings that come with your Presence, but so that I may know you better.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
Prayer suggestions that can help you get to know Him better:
Overeating
Smoking
Cursing
Lying
Pornography
Bitterness
Unbelief
Lust