Lena’s Discipleship Journalin’ to Eph 3 Today
Paul’s prayer is very specific. He is after a target, the revelation of who we are, why we are here and what we are doing!
Isn’t that everyone’s question?
There is something amazing about finding that out and then living it out.
Don’t be so set in your mind that you won’t see it when it is revealed. The purposes of God for each human are more general than they are specific.
I hear people say, “I wonder where I should work?”, as though work is where they’ll find their purpose. Work has a purpose, it feeds your family and teaches you about character and integrity, faithfulness, submission etc, but it is not where your purpose is found.
Then I hear people say, “I wonder where I should go to college?”, as though college is where you’ll find your purpose. You might by chance find your purpose while at work or at college, but your purpose does not lye in it.
Purpose can only be found in Christ. All of the purposes of each individual will be found and fulfilled in Christ, in being a part of the utter fulfillment of God’s Divine dreams come true. Our ultimate purposes are fulfilled in making His dreams come alive in earthen vessels. Willing earthen vessels.
Our true and lifelong dreams of finding purpose can only be defined inside of doing the will of the Father while we’re still on earth, just as Jesus did.
You can work any job and do that, live in any place and do that, go to any college and do that, and be that.
To get down to detail, the place you work or live or study may or may not deter you from seeing and walking out your purposes more effectively. One place may set up distractions or detours along your pathway, so it may be better to put yourself in one place compared to another place, but that has to do more with your hunger, desire and willingness to do His good pleasure than the actual finding or fulfillment of your purpose.
Paul had found his purpose in Christ Jesus and in so doing, he was able to see it clearly for others, which is what led him to teach and preach it to others, that they might find theirs in Him. When a person really sees, they cannot help but yearn for Christ to be formed and complete His work in others, in any who will.
Paul says -
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.
Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,
to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Be glory and honor and wisdom and power, at work in us for Him, right here, right now! Amen.