Your Love Is Deep! Eph. 3:14-19

"14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Eph. 3:14-19

First, to know the full measure of the love of God starts with knowing that you are loved by God! When I read a word like "rooted" I think of security, and the word "established" communicates foundation. To know that you are loved by God is a foundational reality that brings about a security that I cannot explain with words. I know that I am loved!

My kids know that they are loved. My wife and I have been very intentional about showing our love to our kids, whether it was through hugs and kisses, words, or even time spent with them. I have no doubt, if you were to ask them, that they would say that they are loved! I did not have that experience... I did not know my dad until I was about 10 because I was living with my mom many states away. I did not spend much time with my mom because she was away a lot. I struggled with knowing that I was loved until I was 21 years old. Here is a reality that I know for sure... I am loved by God! I am secure in that love... I just know it! If you are going to grasp the hugeness of God's love, than it starts with knowing that you are loved.

Second, I don't think we can grasp the love of God on our own. Paul's prayer is that they would grasp the love of God "together with all the saints." To get a full picture of His love we need other Christ-followers! When I hear testimonies from others it gives me a fresh perspective on the love of God! When I meet with my accountability group, they challenge me to know the love of Christ in a greater way! We need each other!

Third, knowing the hugeness of the love of God is an internal reality that cannot be explained by the intellect. It "surpasses" knowledge! You either get it or you don't! It takes power to "know" this kind of love, and that power only comes from the heavens! The Holy Spirit, who does His work IN us, opens up our lives so that we can know this love. Apart from the work of the Spirit of God, you cannot "know" this love! That's why Paul states says, "being rooted and established in love." You won't "get it" if that has not happened!

So as you go about your day today, ask God to give you power to grasp the hugeness of His love. Try to see his love at work in others, and ask God to send other Christ-followers your way to challenge you toward a deeper perspective of the love of Christ.



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