Lost In the Prairies.....Found by God

Two Sundays ago my pastor was doing a sermon on speaking truth in love based on Ephesians 4:15.  I was enjoying the sermon, but then I noticed a little highlighted study area in my Bible regardign burnout based on Epheians 3:14-21.  I read over this text and sat in amazement for about 1 minute.  I quickly book marked it and went back to listening to the sermon.  Here is that prayer:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:16-21 NIV84)

Paul wrote to the Ephesians so that they could understand God at a deeper, more personal level.  Paul shares 1st that he humbly knelled before God for them.  He then asks for strength for the believers.  Secondly, he asks that believers would know God's love which surpasses all understanding.

How many times have we struggled with trials and not gone humbly before God first?  Where do we go?  Usually for me its my friends.  When I don't think I can go to them, I turn to something else (food).  Yet, Paul shows us right here that we are to first come to God humbly on our knees.  We are to take all of our requests, our hurts, and our struggles to the one who truly understands.  Our friends will tell us what we want to hear.  God will tell us what we need to hear.

The only place we can receive the strength to get through what we face is through God.  He is the only one big enough to carry us.  He wants us to lean on him.  He is our saviour, our protector, and our deliverer.  When we are at our weakest is when we are at our strongest.  It is there that God is able to lift us and lead us.  It is there that we can begin to let go of our fears and anxiety and trust in God to lead us and shelter us.  A few weeks ago, I was literally held down by depression.  I was inconsolable.  I couldn't find the strength to get off the floor.  I somehow grabbed my Bible in my nightstand and started reading the Psalms .  Slowly through crying out "Why?" in my anguish as David did, did God give me strength to firstly get up and then to face my trial head on.  I can't say its easy, but I know who is my strength.

The part of the prayer that really blew me away was the love that surpassed understanding.  God's love is so unfathomable no one will fully comprehend it.  I think that is one of the stumbling blocks for unbelievers.  Why would someone die for my sins?  Why would someone love me no matter what, besides my parents (sometimes, even this isn't true)?  Our society is very much a me society.  Does it make me feel good?  What can you do for me?  When we see people struggling, too many times we turn a blind eye to them.  To many people around us are struggling with addictions, depression, trials, poverty, etc......  They are hurting.  God loves them.  Loves them where they are and calls us to love them as well.  We as believers are called to love each other and lay down our lives to each other (1John3:16).  We are called to love as Jesus did.  This at times is hard and not understandable, but it is how we are to be the reflection of God on earth.  

There are very few times where I have had others pray over me or heard them pray for me as John prayed for the Ephesians.  It is a simple act of love and compassion.  It's showing God's love and enabling Him to do His work in and through us.  I believe that we are called to pray like this for each other.  To lift each other in our struggles.  We are one body.  Some parts are weaker than others.  That's the time we need to help in the healing.  Do you know someone who has been dodging arrows?  Have you prayed for them?  Have you prayed over them?

I am linking up with the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood at Finding Heaven today.