Day 485: Eyes of the heart - Ephesians 1 vs 15 – 23

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love  towards all the saints - 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, 19 what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe, 20 according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22-23 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,  which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:15-23 English Standard Version

Do you know someone who speaks so fast that their thoughts just seem to flow over each other? It happens to some of us when we’re very excited – and to sports commentators too. In a way, it happened to the apostle Paul in this prayer for Christians at Ephesus. He’s so caught up with what is in store for God's people that his thoughts just flow out with hardly a pause for breath. What was he especially praying for them? (vs 18)

He wants them to understand with all their heart how marvellous that inheritance is that they had put their hopes in. While the gospel message speaks to our minds – as God's wisdom is revealed to us – it must ultimately pierce sin's darkness that filled our hearts. The prophet Jeremiah described human hearts as being “deceitful above all things, and desperately sick.” It's only when what God has done for us grips our heart that we will be as excited as Paul was here. Apart from the wonderful inheritance of eternal life and seeing Christ in all the glory God has placed on Him, what else does Paul want then to realize? (vs 19)

God's awesome power was at work in their lives. They were not being left to themselves to try and make their way to heaven. Like many of us, they were probably conscious of much weakness in their faith and still so vulnerable to temptation and sin. They may also have been afraid of the hostility of those in Ephesus who sought to harm Christians. But the same power by which God raised Christ Jesus from the grave was now working in them to enable them to persevere in following Jesus. (vs20) And what does Paul say about where Jesus is now? (20-21)

He is at Father's right hand and exalted over any and all powers that exist on earth or in the heavenly dimensions. This would've meant a lot to people in those days when there many 'gods' among the nations, and they were living under the powerful authority of Caesar. It's because God has so exalted Jesus and given Him a name above all other names that we call Him Lord. And it's something that should give us great encouragement too for the days in which we live.

Governments through the ages have often been authoritarian. Laws and rules are sometimes made which make life very difficult for Christians. There have been, and still are, times when the state uses it power to persecute Christians even to death. At such times we must remember how Jesus, when He was on trial for His life, answered the Roman governor. “Pilate said to him, 'You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?' Jesus answered him, 'You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.'” (John 9:10-11)

Jesus is Lord even when we go through fierce trials. What we as Christians need to do is what Paul was doing here. Don't stop praying for one another that God would strengthen us by opening the eyes of our hearts to see our inheritance, and to be aware of His power at work in our lives.