The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 2:8-10 (day two) 

For we are His workmanship vs. 10a

I live in a household of crafters. If that sounds like the beginning of some sort of support group meeting, well so be it. As my girls have grown there is no such thing as unwanted cardboard, ribbon, boxes, or bags. All will receive a second, third, or infinite number of lives in new shapes and forms. Indeed, there is no limit to what your average Amazon delivery box can become in the hands of my daughters. When I see these “new creations” I marvel at how they can see the potential in cardboard. I have witnessed robots, record players, cars of various sizes and designs emerge from what I consider recycle bin fodder. Yet they see something that no one else can. They pour themselves into the creation, giving of themselves along the way to craft a wondrous new thing. This is their workmanship.

God does nothing less, and infinitely more with each of us. We are shaped and formed by him to be the creation that he intends. One that has purpose and hope in the Kingdom of God. We bear the marks of his workmanship, and each of us can look at who we are in Christ and recognize his design.

Those pieces of cardboard are loved and cherished by my girls, how much more are you loved by Jesus?

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 1:15-23 (day four)

Having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus… [I] do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers. Ephesians 1:16

Who are the people in your life that you are thankful for?

Paul, as in many of his letters, expresses thanks for the believers who are living boldly for Christ. It was their faith that really stood out to Him. We do not know the specifics of what these faith moments were. He does reference their love for others,  but whatever it was, it was enough to bring Paul encouragement while he was in prison. It would have been easy for Paul to be bitter and negative in his current position, but instead, he chose to be thankful. Thankfulness is not only uplifting to the receivers, but it molds the outlook of the givers.

If you find yourself in a constant state of negativity (we all have those moments), work to find the things and people you are thankful for, and go out of your way to let them know. It will be uplifting to you both!

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 1:15-23(day six)

Yesterday’s discovery must be sought anew today. Yesterday’s rich are today’s poor, and only as the poor will they become rich again. –Karl Barth, The Epistle to the Ephesians

We never graduate from the blessings in Ephesians 1:3-14; we never move onto something more or more profound or more fulfilling. Every day, we return to the deep, satisfying well of what God accomplished in Christ.

This is how Paul prays for the church (for us): that we would see and know to our bones that God has already provided all we need to grow up in Jesus, to experience his power. We have only to return to it each day.

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 1:15-23(day five) “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”

When Paul prays for the Ephesians, first and foremost, he wants them to be “closer” (my word) to God. Other translations will say “know Him better” or “knowing Him personally”. What Paul believes is that if these faithful followers of Christ can get closer to God (know him better or more personally/intimately) it will change how they see things (eyes of your heart). It will lift their attention and focus from their current circumstances to the deeper and eternal realities that have already been set in place. Remember Paul is in prison (circumstance), but the eyes of his heart is helping him see something longer and larger going on in him and around him. What they (we) need, is to see the world (including circumstances) the way God sees it- which is the way it really is (hope, riches, power). And drawing closer to God makes that possible- even in prison.

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 1:15-23 (day three)

“…having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know… what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe…” v. 18-19

We sing many worship songs and hymns about God opening our eyes to Him and to His heavenly realm. Here, in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul lets them know that he was praying exactly that for them, all those years ago. This invisible, spiritual realm has been around since the beginning of time, yet we so often forget that it is there. Paul’s letter begins with his usual greetings and “I’m thankful for you’s”, but he jumps straight into a reminder that there is more to this life than what they (and we) physically see. He prayed for them to know the immeasurable power of God living in them as believers.

Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the dark, spiritual forces of this world (Ephesians 6:12). But take heart, the Power that defeated sin, death, and those dark, spiritual forces lives inside us if we are believers. Paul reminded the Ephesians of that all-important truth, and he reminds us as well. As you go through your day today and the rest of your week, I pray that you may know the immeasurable greatness of his power living inside you helping you fight back against the dark, spiritual forces of this world.

As Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 1:15-23 (day three)

“I…do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers”

As Paul spent time with these fellow Christians, he began to entrust himself to them, opening himself up to friendship, a sharing of life. He could have remained transactional with them, which is less risky. When no one can break your heart, that’s a pretty safe place to be. But then no one can enter into your heart either, so it’s very lonely. To Paul, that friendship was worth the risk, and he gave thanks for his friends — much like the Lord himself, who opened his heart to friendship with those who could wound him or love him.

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 1:15-23 (day two)  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. vs. 18-19a

Language like this always makes me stop and think about the wordplay being used. Paul says ‘the eyes of my heart.’ Was first century anatomy that bad? Not likely. This kind of figurative language, is first, the Lord is bigger than our words. To try and fully capture the wonder of his grace would exhaust the lexicon. It also gives an opportunity to unpack the imagination. To think that the heart would be able to see and discern good and evil is an incredible picture. It also reminds us making decisions based on what we see alone is problematic. God has created us with minds, feelings, intuition, and he desires us to use all our faculties when seeking to know and follow him. May your hearts eyes be open the Lord today.

 Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 1:3-12 (day seven)

When Paul wrote this introductory passage, he wrote it as all one sentence. It was meant to be an overture to set the tone and themes to be discussed throughout the letter. These are melodies we will be hearing over the next 13 weeks. Read through it again with this thought in mind. What do you hear? What stands out to you?

I hear something very clear, Christ has reconciled us to God. We have been chosen before the beginning of time, before we could make a choice ourself. God chose to love us. In a world where love has become conditional, God chose to love us unconditionally and to purchase us with His very own blood, knowing full well that not everyone would choose Him in return. In doing so, He gives the opportunity to those who choose Him to see glimpses of heaven here on earth. There is no greater love than this!