Eyes of Your Heart

When you read Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, “…that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance…and His incomparably great power for us who believe…” (Ephesians 1:18-19), do you feel like you’re missing something?  That’s what I hear Paul telling the Ephesians and it makes me ask the question, “What am I not seeing about the hope, the riches, and the power that is available to me?”

As I reflect on this question and what Paul wrote, I think Paul would say to us, “It’s not about you.  The center of your universe has to change.”  The reason I say this is because of what I hear the Apostle telling the Ephesians.  He says to them, without Jesus you are not blessed (Ephesians 1:3);  Without Jesus you are not chosen or predestined and cannot be a part of God’s family (Ephesians 1:4); Without Jesus you cannot please God, do His Will, or receive His grace (Ephesians 1:5-6); Without Jesus you cannot have redemption and cannot be forgiven of your sins (Ephesians 1:7); And without Jesus you cannot know God intimately (Ephesians 1:9).

In Paul’s writings, I hear Paul urging us to ask the question, “Where’s Jesus?”  Jesus Himself claimed that all Scripture pointed to Him (John 5:39).  He also declared, “I am the way, and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).  Isn’t Jesus claiming that He is the link, connector, and reconciler of all things?

If there is something missing in our spiritual journey or in our study of Scripture, let’s ask the question, “Where’s Jesus?” and pray with Paul, “…give [us] the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that [we] may know Him better” (Ephesians 1:17).

Hymn to meditate on: Without Him

Most Common

Several years ago I heard an interview with Robert Gelinas, who wrote the book, The Mercy Prayer.  In the interview, the author said that when we read through the Scriptures we will notice that the most prayed prayer in the Bible is some form of the mercy prayer—“LORD, have mercy on me; LORD, have mercy on us;  LORD, have mercy on me, a sinner.”  What Gelinas said resonated with me because it is also my most prayed prayer.

I’m thinking about this interview because of what John told us in Bible class a few weeks ago.  John said that he’s repeatedly heard that the most common command in the Bible was “Fear not!”  This resonates with me as well.  Doesn’t it make perfect sense that if humanity’s most common cry is, “LORD, save me!” that God’s most constant reply would be, “Don’t be afraid.”

Doesn’t this conjure up a picture of a parent picking up a sobbing child who is in distress, embracing them, and saying, “Don’t cry.  Mommy’s (or Daddy’s) here, everything will be all right.”

Doesn’t it also affectionately remind you of Jesus’ words, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me…and you will find rest for your souls…” (Matthew 11:28-30).