[Together as a She Reads Truth community, we are reading through Ephesians. Sign up for the reading plan here!]
Text: Ephesians 3:14-21
The Christian life exists both individually and corporately, but one cannot fully comprehend “the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge” (v. 19) without the Holy Spirit at work in both areas.
Paul most often talks about followers of Christ as a unit – a body. We are one in Christ. But here, twice, he mentions the work of the Holy Spirit within us as individuals as well (verses 16 and 19).
He reminds the Ephesians – and us – as individuals, of their beginnings in their new birth. We were rooted and grounded in love. Like a tree with deep, healthy roots, he prays that we have “strength to comprehend with all the saints”(now we’re coming back to our corporate faith) “what is the breadth and length and height and depth- ”
Wait. The “length and height and depth” of what?
It’s the Kingdom of God, being built one living stone at a time. Remember the holy temple Paul told us about in 2:20,21: “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.”
Yes, the “length and height and depth” describe Christ’s love for his people. It is all-inclusive, never-ending, always giving.
Paul is praying that we, as individuals and as a body, will be equipped with the strength to comprehend God’s love without boundaries.
We could stop right there, but Paul goes on: “Now unto him” (v. 20)
Yes, there’s a lot more to that sentence about the ability of God to do more than we can ask or imagine; but don’t skip over those first three words!
“Now unto him.”
“Now”, take all that the Holy Spirit has done in your own life, and what he is doing in the Church around you, and all that you are just beginning to understand about Christ’s deep, deep love; and “unto him”.
Go, sisters. Live “unto Him”. Take what you know of his love without boundaries. With the “power at work within us”, live your life as unto Him today.
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21 thoughts on "now unto him"
This passage holds one of my favorite scriptures. I am a firm believer in the love of God as that is one of the reasons that drew me near to God. Gods love surpasses all knowledge. It’s a beautiful thing. We are the people he created and predestined and He loves is beyond anything we can imagine. He filled us with the same Spirit so that we might all act as one body in Christ. God has truly saved my soul and I can’t thank Him enough. #Amen
Today I alone have felt the glory of God answering my prayers. He has guided me with so many answers today to fill my heart with joy. Knowing that he is always with me, listening and supporting me through every struggle puts a smile on my face everyday. I love God and I make it a point to spread the Good News about his glory and my love for him every chance I get.
I think what Paul is meaning in the passage is that we are all followers after the same God however, we also share a personal relationship with Christ that manifest in all of us. The ability to use the gifts of the Spirit is something all Christians can develop but everyone of us have a different gift for a particular use that God has ordained for the future.
There is so much power in this prayer of Paul’s. My daughter pointed out this section of scripture to me years ago… She was maybe 16, and we had just – with her 11 yr old brother – moved into a tiny ‘housing’ apartment. Ir was a very hard time, managing to homeschool and nurture my kids during the separation from my (now ex-) husband. My disability made things even more difficult, and I can clearly remember reading these verses – and praying them – over and over! I still use this prayer today, and it still has the amazing power to open my eyes to the limitless nature of God’s love; I still stand in awe of the tender yet powerful image of Paul, encouraging us to let the magnificence of God just sink down deep. And after reading and praying these verses for more than 10 years, now, I still feel the incredible depth of what God has yet to teach me through the Life and Word of Jesus Christ! Amen and God Bless you all, sisters in SheReads!
This passage of scripture is one of my very favorite. It speaks to me of the epitomy of life in Christ. There is such richness, such treasure, such strength, such community in life in Him. As a single mom, He has truly brought this passage to life in my life. Thanks be to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than you can think of or imagine!
Ephesians 3:16-21 NET
Prayers without Boundaries
This passage of scripture, Paul's prayer, provides a model for my prayer life for other believers and for the Whole Body of Christ. First, that the indwelling Spirit with all the wealth of God's resources provide inner strength individually and corporately. That through faith, love, and the deep roots of Christ, the church, the believer, me included, can comprehend a love that without the Spirit cannot be fathomed and not just "get it" but be filled with that love, that power, so as the writer of my devotional puts it today, "that we, as individuals and as a body, will be equipped with the strength to comprehend God’s love without boundaries." And that when we pray to pray without restricting God or inserting our guidelines on Him for His Glory and for generations yet to come!
“God’s Lovewithout boundaries” ….it just doesn’t get any better than that! Praise God!!!!
I praise God that He has given us the power to live “unto Him.” Sometimes we do not realize how much certain words matter in the Bible, but they hold so much truth. God has the power to do more than we ask or think, and sometimes we do not realize that. All praise to Him! I am humbled by His majesty.
Oh to love like Jesus loves that is the challenge for us today. It is so difficult to try in our own strength to love the way that He loves but I am so glad that with faith he has made all things possible. In the world it is so easy to stop loving someone because of something they said or something that they did but as Christians God is calling us higher. Today I pray that we all will love like Christ loves.
Well put and beautifully said! I As much as I agree with statement I know it’s one of the hardest things we can do: love no matter what. Since God loves me that much I am sure going to try!
@emilysophia, I agree with you, but I believe the SRT post is saying that God’s love has no boundaries. The post was saying Gods love has no limits, and not commenting on us loving even to our own destruction
I love verses 17-19
"that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
This is my prayer. That I may know God's love so fully… that I'm able to fully love others.
The strength to love as He loves us, this is what I feel Paul is praying for us for, both individually and as One.
As everyone knows, this can be so difficult at times. All the frustration the world gives us day in and day out. The only song that comes to mind with this study is Big & Rich's newest single, "That's Why I Pray." (< Says the little girl from Texas, lol.) I was blessed to hear this song live right before my family placed new roots in Lubbock and just the crazy amount of honesty and emotion that comes out through the lyrics will make anyone tear up.
This message today is so encouraging! As Christ loves us, we should love others. :) I read and hear about this amazing love in church, in my studies, but I only catch a glimpse of what is really going on in God’s heart for all of us. I pray that God will continue to show us how He loves us and to bring understanding into our own hearts so we can fully know and appreciate His love! God’s peace be with you all today! <3
Love how God confirms to me over and over……Love walk. And then add that there are no boundaries with God's love and how Christ is our pattern for living, the ultimate Lover. Wow…..we humans (myself Included) fall so so so short with our conditional love and boundaries-expectations of what others are to do and to be. Lets tear down the walls!!
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (Ephesians 3:16 NIV)
I love that prayer..that we will by strengthened. What a gift..that will be my prayer today.
this is the one that jumped out at me too…such a blessing!
I think verse 18 is the one jumping out at me this morning! There is simply no way my human brain can understand all that God's love covers! I want to put boundaries on it because that is how I see life–God is bigger than that! He is the one with no boundaries! I really don't think we can understand it until we reach heaven and then OH! BOY! I am spending at least 10000 years praising Him then for forever (as the song says!) Thank God he is this big! When I want to box him in and fit him into what I understand I find a verse like this saying, "think again, think about everything you know about, then think again!" Praise God!
I love the book of Ephesians, and I love the SheReadsTruth blog, but I disagree with one point you make in this section. I don't think it is a love "without boundaries." Boundaries are necessary – and biblical. Boundaries protect us as individuals from those who seek our destruction. We love from our proper boundaries. It is not love to wholly devote oneself to the cause and wellbeing of another – that is codependence and only serves to further separate the other person from the love of Christ.
I praise God our Father for His word and for this group of sisters. I am able to love all people fully without prejudice or condemnation because of the Love the Father has shown me. (I think this is what you mean by "boundarylessness").
I disagree with you, I think what it means is God's love is limitless and we should think of His love as limitless and not put man's boundaries on God's love! Ephesians 3 states it's far above what we can think! I believe we as mankind need God to reveal his perfect love to us, for it's perfect love that casts out fear! If we really understood that we wouldn't feel the need to love with boundaries!