Heart To Rest

We are made alive in Christ! (Eph 2:4) What a glorious statement and its impact has clearly caught Paul's attention. He's so excited about this revelation that once again he pauses and launches into another of his famous prayers. A prayer for us. Just as we saw last week he starts off with the words "for this reason". Because we are made alive in Christ...

"...I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 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, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV)

Our salvation is a gift, it is not achieved through our works - if it were some would inevitably score more highly than others. No, our salvation is a gift which comes to us through our faith in him. Even our own faith is not self-generated, that, too, is a gift. Everything we need is made available to us and we simply need to appropriate it for ourselves. We are no longer distant but have been brought into the Godhead through Jesus. Not only joined to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit but being joined, as a family, with one another. 

This is the backdrop for Paul's prayer. This divine revelation of unity leads to our hearts being strengthened by the Holy Spirit in order that it can become a place for the Father to live. It's a home of love where our heart comes to rest. This love is immeasurable yet it is strong. It becomes the foundation of our lives and therefore everything we do comes from and out of love.

The Passion Translation puts it like this: Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life. (v17)

Today, I encourage you to make his love your resting place. It is safe and secure.