Ephesians 1:18-21 — Conversations with God

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Enlighten me, Lord.

What is the  hope of my calling?  I am hoping for a complete transformation of my soul’s aspiration and my body’s limitations.  I yearn for a time when my heart beats only in time with Yours.  I want to desire nothing in heaven or on earth besides You.  And I want my body to only respond to Your commands and be completely ruled by righteousness.  I hope to enjoy endless fellowship with You, learning ever more and more of Your greatness.  I hope for an end of pain and suffering and a fullness of joy that cannot be contained.  That is my hope for my calling.

What are the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in us?  It must be the uniting of all who love and are loved by You.  I, of course, want to immediately go to all the material blessings of heaven, a new body, no aches or pains, no suffering, everlasting life, pleasures beyond my wildest imaginings.  But it is the relationships that must be the most important.  It is knowing You and knowing one another at a level never before experienced in so sustained a way.  To be able to express our hearts without fear or shame will be amazing.  I want to live that way now, but am fearful.  Help me, Lord.

What is the surpassing greatness of Your power toward us who believe?  Did Paul mean “power for us who believe” (works of power You might do on our behalf), or “power in us who believe” (resident ability to change spiritually or accomplish Your works ourselves), or “power toward us who believe” (undefined).  The Greek preposition iseis, which could be translated “in” or “to”.  If the latter is intended it would seem Paul is focused on what You have wrought on our behalf.  This might seem supported by what follows in that it talks about raising Jesus from the dead and seating Him with Your authority in the heavenly places and making Him head over all things and particularly the Church.

If Paul meant “in” us it would seem that what follows would have more to do with what we have been enabled to accomplish.  However, Paul says Your power toward us is in accordance with the power You worked in Christ.  If could be he is arguing that the same power You used to raise Jesus and seat Him with authority is the power operative inside us.  But there should be more of a connection than that.

What is similar to your powerful resurrecting and seating of Jesus and Your power in us?  Is it that You have raised us to new life and seated us with Christ in the heavenlies, thus giving us life and authority with Jesus?  The power in us then would be the life changing presence of Christ’s resurrected life that makes me more holy and loving, and the reality of a heavenly authority and blessing that gives me confidence to take on the world.  Do I have both those?

Whether I feel them or not, I have them and Paul was praying that I might be enlightened about that.  Open my eyes even wider, Holy God!