Ephesians 1:15-23 (NRSV)
Read Ephesians 1:15-23 on biblegateway.com
Verse 15I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason Verse 16I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. Verse 17I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, Verse 18so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, Verse 19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. Verse 20God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, Verse 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. Verse 22And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, Verse 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Devotion
In the recent election, I was struck by how many candidates, if elected, wanted to fight for me. One candidate delivered five promises to fight within the thirty-second span of his commercial. I don’t want my leaders to presuppose a fight at every turn; the world is hostile and aggressive enough without providing a new venue. There is another way and realm that seeks to break into our lives — this new way has a different set of presuppositions.
We pray our leaders would hear the ones who hold them in prayer and that the promises and gifts that we read in Ephesians today would become more normative for our elected officials. Don’t fight, but seek a spirit of wisdom ... with the eyes of your heart enlightened. The time for fighting is over. It’s time to put to work the power that God unleashed in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
Prayer
Lord God, you have a vision for the world that is rooted in a power and authority that is so incredibly different from the routine of our day-to-day world. Continue to come to us with your vision and place it next to our routine until we are changed by the difference.