Praying According to the Will of God
“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in you hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus through out all ages, world without end. Amen.”
-Ephesians 3:12-21
Having been given unrestricted access to the throne-room of God, through the confidence of faith in Christ, Paul prays a prayer that proves he is being conformed to the mind of Christ. This is not a Diet Prayer, nor is it Christianity light. This prayer is thick with the sentiment of the Apostles greatest understanding, thicker than the thumb of Rehoboam’s wrath, and higher in spiritual stature than the cedars of Lebanon. Paul’s prayer transcends pathetic human felt need. His prayer is a rock to climb on, a runway to land on, a sail with which to catch all the wind of the Pacific.
Tapping into the greatest wealth of resources known to man (i.e. the glory of God) Paul does not pray for the healing of physical maladies in the church, he does even pray that the church at Ephesus would experience great growth, and flourishing discipleship, neither does Paul pray that the Temple of Diana would fall over, or that the body in Ephesus would receive enough financial backing for their next big ministry idea.
No, that would all be too carnal, too earthy, to much out on the limb so to speak, and not enough down in the nutrients of the earth. I think Paul prayed for the greatest possible thing he could. He prays for the roots of the tree, to be first nourished with an understanding of love. This was an understanding to be comprehended. We must think about, and attempt by the Spirit of His might, to get it.
God I pray you would make us, your current living pilgrims, root-fertilizer’s in prayer. It does me little good to pray for others that fruit would burst forth from trees that could not support your bounty. Lord grant us, I beg, deep strong gnarly roots flourishing in the soil of your love, that a mighty tree would burst forth, salient to the principalities, spreading leaf and limb as broad, deep, and tall as the understanding you grant us. May these branches be filled with all thy fullness in order to display your capacity for your glory. May this be the affect upon all the saints today.
