The Power to Lay Hold of His Love

This morning I am continuing to read from Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus.  These next verses are so full - Ephesians 3:16-21 NIV:

[16] "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

[20] "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, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

The first thing that stands out to me is that Paul's desire for the church is to understand the love of Christ, "this love that surpasses knowledge".  We tend to think we understand love from our own experience of love, but what Paul writes here makes me think that we don't really have a clue about the love of Christ.  Paul prays that they may have the power to grasp how wide, long, high and deep is His love.  The power he is speaking about comes from the Holy Spirit, and needs to strengthen their inner being, allowing them to be rooted and grounded in love first, then enabling them to understand and grasp how wide, long, high and deep is His love.

As I imagine this I see that Paul is describing something like a mighty tree, first being rooted and established (a foundation laid) in love, but then expanding wide, long, high and deep.  The wider, longer, higher the tree grows the deeper and stronger needs to be the root and trunk.  When viewed with this analogy, it makes sense that power is required, for there is great strength and power in the mighty limbs of a tree, that enable it to withstand the forces of the wind.

One wonders why we would need power to grow in this knowledge of Christ's love?  Paul writes that this power is so that your may grasp or lay hold of how wide, long, high and deep is His love for us.  The Greek word, here translated grasp, is Katalambano and it means to lay hold of something and make it your own.  This word seems to denote that it takes effort on our part, and a willingness to change.  Isn't that interesting?  Not just grasping, but allowing ourselves to be changed by that which we lay hold of, in Christ.

When I think about this, it must mean that their is some level of Christ's love that requires that I must be willing to be changed to fully comprehend.  As I write this, I am reminded of the story of Mother Theresa, and her willingness to love the unlovable, the wretched, the outcasts, the poor and needy in such a way that was completely selfless.  Love like this takes incredible strength and compassion.  She was willing to be changed, to allow her own circumstances to be changed that she might better love these most needy people.

Jesus in His challenging words from Matthew's Gospel, speaks about loving the least - Matthew 25:40 NIV: “The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'"

Taking this further, it would appear that Christ's love is for a larger group of people (wider) than we would normally comprehend.  He would encourage us to love the least or maybe those farthest from Him, thus the need to understand how wide is His love. We are not called to just love the righteous, but the least, those who do not know God at all.  Back to Mother Theresa, she drew no distinction between Hindu, Muslim or Christian, but looked at all as her bother and sister, children of God who need to know His love.  She was also not interested in just a single act of love, but would bring these people back to her care facilities so that she might love the individual over a long time.  Wow, that indeed requires strength!

Jumping to Paul's next thoughts - God is able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine though His power at work in us.  If this power is enabling us to lay hold of and understand His love for all, especially the least, then I start to understand what He is talking about.

So today, I am encouraged to pray for myself this same prayer.  That I might be strengthened with the power of the Holy Spirit to grow in my knowledge and ability to lay hold of the width, length, height and depth of God's love, and how He wants it expressed through me.

Amen!