Verse for the Day Ephesians 3:20-21

"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 3:20-21

Hmmmmmmm...I had to read this verse a few times in order to actually get a thought about it formed. Is it a prayer? Is it a praise? What is it's context? What is it in relation to? Well, this part of Ephesians is called "The Prayer for the Ephesians". The Church of Ephesus was one of the earliest Churches in Turkey, what would become the Eastern Empire of the Roman Empire. The early Church of Ephesus would later be combined with The Church of Alexandria. Then it was overtaken by the Islamic Arabs in the 7th and 8th Centuries. It currently is an iconic site to the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches….

But I digress…

We were talking of the verse, not of the history lesson. This obviously is a prayer, and for me it is a model for prayer. We, as humans, and me in particular, have a common tendency to pray for what we want and think we need, the right here and now, or the far off future. We forget that we are in God's hands and that God can see what we cannot imagine. He created what we cannot fathom. He understands what we cannot begin to comprehend. He is omniscient and omnipotent. He is…well, He's GOD. How else can I put it…for me, that is just such an awesome word. I say it and I am overcome with his power. I can't help it…God…think about it and all it entails…just the word entails something greater than myself, someone greater than myself…He's GOD.

We forget that God knows what He wants for us. When we need to learn our path or our purpose we look to within, and to ourselves to find it, without turning to God. But to me, that is wrong. God knows what He wants for us…who would know better? He created us, so He does know why he created us. It only makes sense to me to ask Him what he wants for us.

This is a prayer asking for God's blessing on the Church. But it is also a praise to God who "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us". God is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. His power is working within us. Sounds like the Holy Spirit to me. How about you? Yes, the Power of the Spirit and the Blood. Immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…that makes me smile.

Me: God, I am tired of being alone. Please just bring a woman into my life to take away the solitude.

God: (while scratching his head) Is that all you want? If only you would allow Me to work in you the way I planned, I would give you much more than you ever imagined.

Me: OK, God. I asked for what I wanted, so I'm going to stop praying now.

I know it sounds silly, but I did that to make a point. We ask for the thoughts and dreams and desires of humans…yet we are short changing ourselves when that is all we ask for. Think about God. Do you think he wants for us in human desires? Or Godly desires, which would have to be grand, just because they're Godly? I think he dreams and desires in Godly desires. So, yes, we short change ourselves.

Someone once told me "God would give us more than we could ever dream about if only we allowed Him to". This same person told me "I asked for God to work in me and what He gave me was more than I could ever have imagined or dreamed of". Think about it…We pray for little things in God terms, and we don't even listen for the response. I could imagine God knocking on our imagination saying: "OK, James. You asked for this, you prayed. But you will not even listen for my response now".

This is a model of prayer because it does not try to limit God to human terms. It let's God think God-big thoughts, and give us God-big blessings and gifts. But as we pray we must also meditate and listen to him…watching the sunrise, praising Him. Driving to work, listening to praise music. Quiet time with God. Peaceful time with God. Listening to God's response to our desires. Perhaps we need to open our consciousness to what He wants for us. So not only do we have to listen, but we also have to watch. "God, I want to be happy with a man and married and children."…then the prayerful turns to daily life and forgets about it and doesn't notice the great, wonderful Godly man walking by her that is trying to smile at her. God is in heaven, shaking his head saying: "Oh, sure, I answer her prayer, but she doesn't even pay attention to when I answer it!"

I know I made humor in this…but I wanted to make a point. I wanted to make a few points.

1) don't limit God to human terms
2) Let God work in us according to His will
3) Let the Holy Spirit work in us
4) LISTEN (not just with your ears) to the answer
5) Pray for God's will NOT my will…