Paul’s prayer over the Ephesians is among my favorite passages. In the first sentence, when he says, “from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,” the Greek wording for name means – to be named, to be known. Isn’t that beautiful? When we said yes to Jesus, we entered His family, and we are known by our Father. We can all probably think of certain famous families, and a particular thought about them comes to mind. Some families are known for their wealth, talent, philanthropy, or even their bad reputation, to name a few. As part of God’s kingdom, we can and should reflect and be known for His attributes/His Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control – that’s pretty amazing. And it’s hard to grasp the depth of His love for us. We will spend the rest of our earthly life discovering it. What a journey we are on!
We frequently use verse 20 as we pray for others, and God indeed has an unlimited ability to do whatever He chooses. But when we apply this scripture as it reads to our own life, we realize that sometimes we struggle to believe that He can and will do abundantly more than we can imagine in and through us by His power. It’s convicting that, at times, our unbelief or insecurities can hinder God from working through us to the fullest. Is there something God is calling you to do that you’ve hesitated to obey because of self-doubt? In light of verse 20, how should you respond?
Father, we thank You that we are Yours – we carry the Family name. Help us to grasp who we are in You more and more. May our perspective of ourselves fade in light of how You see us, created by You for Your good works. Lord, do more through us than we could ever imagine; we surrender our fears and limited belief and say we are Yours. Do as You will always to Your glory, Lord. We love you so much.