The Prayer That Got Away

Have you ever prayed a prayer so big it got away from you? You know, you're talking to God about something and the magnitude of it overwhelms you. Paul has such a prayer in his letter to the Christians in Ephesus.

He talked about his mission of taking the gospel to the Gentiles (Eph 3:1-13). "For this reason," he goes on to say, "I bow my knees before the Father ..." (Eph 3:14) and he begins to tell them about his prayer for them. He prays that they would be strengthened (Eph 3:16). They would need the Spirit's strength for Christ to dwell in them (Eph 3:17). They would need His strength to be rooted and grounded in love (Eph 3:17). They would need His strength to know the love of Christ (Eph 3:18-19).

Here Paul starts his climb -- this love of Christ he prayed they'd know. It "surpasses knowledge," he says (Eph 3:19). Thus, clearly, knowing that which surpasses knowledge definitely requires the Spirit's strength. But that's okay because He is "able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" (Eph 3:20). Paul's language here loses something in the translation. He is using words that pile superlatives upon superlatives. We get "far more abundantly," but Paul is speaking of "super-abundance" and "hyper-beyond," and that's what the Spirit can do. What is stunning here is that He does it "according to the power at work within us" (Eph 3:20). This isn't some new thing He brings in; He's already using it. The power of the Spirit to do beyond what you could ask or even think is already at work in you.

As Paul mulls this over, there is only one direction he can head. "To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Eph 3:21) Where else can you go? All the power you need to know the love of Christ which exceeds knowing, and it's already at work in you. Isn't He amazingly wonderful? Those are the kind of prayers -- the examination and exultation in our glorious God -- that can really get away from you sometimes. In the best possible way.