Ephesians 1:15-23
Timeless Blessings

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

I 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, so 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, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.

God 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, far 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. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

New Revised Standard Version

I'm certain that Paul's blessing to the church in Ephesus was written with a timelessness to carry it to us today, because the Power that brings about this blessing is still active in our world. What an extraordinary blessing this is!

Specifically, Paul prays that we may receive "a spirit of wisdom and revelation" that is ours in proportion to our closeness with God. This holy wisdom cannot be gained by study or earned by experience, because this is God's wisdom, not earthly wisdom. With God's wisdom, we think and act more and more with the mind of God and in the will of God. Revelation, the Greek word "apokalupsis," means literally an uncovering for us of God's wisdom and God's love, so that we might be as close to God as we are capable of accepting.

If "knowledge is power," we can abuse knowledge just as we can abuse power. The danger of any revelation of God's knowledge and wisdom is that we would take it out of the way in which God wants us to use it, and instead distort it for our own benefit.

Our protection from abusing God's knowledge is Paul's next phrase, "with the eyes of your heart enlightened." With our heart and mind "brought to the light," we will live in such closeness to God that we allow God to guide us. God wants to give us wisdom from God, that we may see more of God and live in a closeness to God that pervades our essence just as light fills a room.

With these magnificent gifts from God, we will be able to grasp three more amazing blessings that God gives to us:

"What is the hope to which He has called you" -- and in every circumstance, we have hope, because God always has a plan for us.

"What are the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints" -- our blessings are not limited by what we perceive today, but are ours in abundance like the estate of our Heavenly Father given to us as heirs.

"What is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe" -- the same power, Paul goes on to explain, that raised Jesus Christ from the dead and reestablished Him as the ruler of all creation for all time.

God has already given us these unfathomable blessings, and God seeks to help us see all these blessings we have received. Thank you, God, for loving us this much!