Many of you know that I work as the Executive Director of a ministry called House of Prayer Edmonton (HoPE). Last week at HoPE we were focused on praying through Ephesians 3:7-21, which is a passage that is primarily known for one of Paul’s most famous prayers for the church in Ephesus. It also contains a dynamic phrase that stirs me almost every time I read it:
“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” -Eph. 3:12
(Photo by Amaury Gutierrez on Unsplash)
Today I’d like to share a few thoughts about this passage, in hope that it will stir your heart as well.
Here’s a super-short summary of the context of the passage: Paul is speaking to a group of Gentile Christians in Ephesus and is explaining how it was always God’s intention and plan to extend salvation not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles. He goes on to say that one of the incredible implications of the gospel is that they as Gentiles can actually approach God in prayer with freedom and confidence, knowing that Jesus has made that possible.
In one sense it is hard for us to really grasp how amazing this statement must have been for those Gentile Christians to believe. However, in another sense I think we all can identify with how they might have felt.
I think all of us have, at one time or another, wrestled with feelings of guilt and shame that have made us feel unworthy to pray to God. We can relate to struggling to pray with confidence, wondering if God is really listening or if our prayers are having any effect at all. There are a wide variety of reasons that can lead to those thoughts and feelings, but the result is the same: we draw back from prayer.
Paul writes that not only has Jesus Christ made salvation possible but He has also opened up the way for us to come to God in prayer, free from shame and condemnation. We can also have confidence before God in prayer, knowing that because of Jesus’ work on the cross our prayers are heard, and as James 5:16 says, our prayers are powerful and effective.
Paul continues on saying that he himself is praying for them, asking God to give them divine spiritual strength and to enable them to connect more deeply with the great love that God has for them as followers of Jesus.
He then tells them that God is able to do “immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine” (v.20). Paul is going back to the theme of prayer and telling them to remember that they are praying to the God who hears them and is able and willing to do far more than they could begin to imagine.
I want to encourage you that Jesus has made it possible for you to come to God in prayer with freedom from shame and full of confidence that He hears your prayers. Remember that your Heavenly Father who hears you is able to do above and beyond what you could begin to imagine or pray for.
May you sense God’s love in a deeper way as you pray this week.