Ephesians 3.8-21 (3)
Pray Psalm 42.1-3.
As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”
Sing Psalm 42.1-3.
(Nettleton: Come Thou Fount)
As the deer pants for fresh water let my soul, LORD, pant for You!
Let my soul thirst as it ought to for the Savior, ever true!
Tears by day have been my portion, tears by night have been my food,
while my foes add to my sorrow, saying, “Where now is your God?”
Read Ephesians 3.14-16; meditate on verse 16.
What did Paul seek for the Ephesians? What would that mean for you?
Preparation
1. How did Paul look upon God?
2. How are we to be strengthened in our soul?
Meditation
In verses 14-21, Paul is making a pivot from the doctrinal section of his epistle (chapters 1-3) into the more practical section (chapters 4-6). He has spent three chapters sketching out the magnificence of God and the astonishing work He has done for His people through Jesus Christ: Election, predestination, adoption; acceptance into the household of God, citizenship in the City of God, redemption and salvation; a calling to good works and to building the Lord’s household and Church; embedding in a new and divine economy, granted peace with people from every place and tribe; and exalted and seated with Jesus at the right hand of God. All this mystery has been revealed to Paul and the other apostles, and they faithfully share it with us.
This is not just a head trip. We are created in Christ Jesus for good works, new works, Kingdom works, works that see the reign of Jesus unto righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit increasingly supplanting all merely selfish, self-centered, worldly, or materialistic designs and objectives. His Kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven. And this means work. So we’d better get busy.
But, doing what? Raising money? Building large and impressive facilities? Hiring lots of staff? Creating all kinds of impressive programs and activities?
No. Like Paul, getting on our knees, pleading with the Father of Jesus and the Ruler of every family in heaven and on earth, to strengthen us in our souls. Strong souls: That’s what we need. Hearts devoted to God and delighting in His Word. Minds thinking Jesus’ thoughts after Him. Consciences sealed with the all-defining priority of seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Paul prayed that the Ephesians should have strength of soul equal to the gifts and calling God has given them. We must do the same for ourselves.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“Great peace have those who love Your Law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Ps. 119.165).
Peace and strength for living out God’s Word—in a victorious way that keeps us from stumbling into sin—is to love God’s Word and to “delight in the law of the LORD” and to “meditate in it day and night” (Ps. 1.2).
All Christians, those named after our God (Eph. 3.15), should strive “in the inner man” (Eph. 3.16) to exemplify the fruits of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5.22, 23). Happily, there is no law against such living! We are free to live wildly and generously exhibiting these godly characteristics.
Our heavenly Father longs for us, His children, to live in such a way.
“Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes,
according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and
which I sent to you by My servants the prophets” (2 Kgs. 17.13).
If our inner man is focused on God, our outward man will resemble and reflect it.
“Keep your heart with all diligence,
for out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov. 4.23).
“Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
he who guards his soul will be far from them” (Prov. 22.5).
“You have commanded us to keep Your precepts diligently” (Ps. 119.4).
“Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119.11).
Jesus said: “A good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and
an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.
For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Lk. 6.43-45).
Our goal is to do God’s will well. To bear good fruit. To have a guarded heart, protected from evil.
To “plead with the Father of Jesus [our heavenly Father] and the Ruler of every family in heaven and on earth, to strengthen us in our souls. Strong souls: That’s what we need. Hearts devoted to God and delighting in His Word. Minds thinking Jesus’ thoughts…consciences sealed with the all-defining priority of seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
Strong peace because we love God’s Law.
Strong steps that do not stumble.
Strong souls that bear good fruit.
Reflection
1. Would you say that yours is a strong soul? Where could you use some strengthening?
2. What Kingdom works will you be doing today? How should you prepare for these in your soul?
3. Whom will you encourage today in their calling to seek the Kingdom with a strong soul?
Strength from the Spirit of God in the inner man; strength in the soul; the strength of faith, to serve God, and to do our duty. If the law of Christ is written in our hearts, and the love of Christ is shed abroad there, then Christ dwells there. Where his Spirit dwells, there he dwells. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Ephesians 3.13-19
Pray Psalm 42.4-11.
Pray that God will revive you in your soul, that He will cleanse and renew you today and every day, and that He will give you the strength you need in your soul to serve Him faithfully in everything you do.
Sing Psalm 42.4-11.
(Nettleton: Come Thou Fount)
Now I pour my soul out in me as these thoughts come to my mind.
And I long to once again be where true worship I might find.
Oh my soul, be not despairing! Hope in God, and praise His Name!
For the LORD, your burden bearing, will restore your peace again.
Oh my God, my soul is weary, therefore I remember You.
Let Your grace and goodness near be, and Your promise, firm and true.
LORD, when trials and fears surround me, Your commands will be my song!
When distresses sore confound me, Your great love will keep me strong.
LORD, forget me not in mourning ’neath my foes’ oppressing hand.
See their mocking, hear their scorning; help my weary soul to stand.
Hope in God, praise Him forever when despair on you has trod.
Look to Jesus; never, never doubt your gracious, saving God.
T. M. and Susie Moore
Want to learn more about growing stronger in your soul? Check out our ReVision series, “Strong Souls”. Click here to download all the installments in this important study.
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we continue looking at ways the Law of God applies to our lives. This week in our Read Moore podcast we consider the question of what it means to know Jesus Christ. Our Crosfigell teaching letter continues our study of the life of Brigit, a contemporary of Brendan. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
