Such Love

Ephesians 3:17-19 (Amplified Bible)
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

17May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
18That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
19[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

I read these verses first this morning in the New International Version of the Bible. Immediately I knew that I had to read them in the Amplified Bible; go deeper--look harder--get all the wonder hidden in the words.

I'm glad I looked at the Amplified Bible, because otherwise I would really wonder at verse 19 in the N.I.V, in which Paul, the writer, prays that we will "know the love that surpasses knowledge." It seems as though he is praying for the impossible, but the Amplified Bible expands on the meaning of the verse. Paul is praying that we will "know" in the intimacy of knowing another person--the experience of God's love, which far surpasses mere knowledge about God's love.

I'm writing more than I meant to, but I can't stop without the final thought--amazement that we could be filled--wholly filled, with God himself.

Come Lord Jesus--make your home in me; "settle down" in me--root me in your love. Let me be filled with all of the fulness of your being--I can't help but shake my head in wonder at what that means. Let the beauty of your Presence be upon me.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Your prayer was exactly me today...settle in me....the beauty of His presence. Powerful...thanks.
10:14 PM
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