Have you ever experienced a time when you felt that a sermon or bible passage seemed as if it had been aimed directly to you? Two people can come across precisely the same message and yet be personally impacted by the power of God’s voice in profoundly distinct and unique ways. God’s Word is mighty and true. The Bible describes it as being “alive and active.” In Ephesians chapter 3, the love of God is expressed as “wide, long, high, and deep.” Yet often times, when I read this portrayal, a different image comes to mind. Sometimes I picture Christ the carpenter, carefully constructing His Church, incorporating each person into precisely the proper place, at the proper time, in the proper arrangement, so that we can become vessels of His love to a hurting world. At other times, one particular aspect will seem to jump off the page, reminding me of a specific character trait of God that speaks to my current situation.
- For example, consider length. I might be reminded of God’s faithfulness. It is an awesome and humbling joy to realize that God has been, and will continue, watching over the full length of my life, beginning from before I was conceived, through birth, life, death, and even beyond the grave!
- Width reminds me of God’s omnipresence: at any given moment, God is involved with every detail of my life. Carefully orchestrating each one with perfect precision so that despite the difficulties (as God will not interfere with free will), I might draw closer to the One who has loved me since before time began.
- The Depth of God’s love may cause me to reflect on the fact that God knows me fully and completely, even better than I know myself. It can also bring to mind the fact that Jesus was willing to suffer death on a cross in order to come down from Heaven and meet me in the darkest corners of my heart.
- And lastly, height lovingly lures my mind and spirit to bask in God’s holiness and sovereignty. To be reminded that He is above all things and although God created the entire universe and everything in it, the greatest object of His affection, is us.
“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.” Ephesians 3:18 NLT
“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 1:9 NLT
Shadia Hrichi
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Wow! Eph 3:18 just became so much more powerful for me.