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

When I was a young boy, I would sometimes visit my grandparents in rural South Carolina during the summer. They lived in a small house without air‑conditioning. I can remember watching baseball games on their black and white television and going fishing with my grandfather. My favorite memory was a combination of two things that I loved:  my grandfather and ice cream. My grandfather would go out to the back porch and return to the kitchen with a carton of ice cream. He would tear off the seal, open the lid, and get out two spoons. The two of us would then sit at the kitchen table and eat that ice cream straight from the carton. It was a moment that filled me with both ice cream and awe for my grandfather.
 
That story is more than a fond childhood memory. It is a reminder of my grandfather’s love for me. It’s also a picture of God’s extravagant love for me and for us, His children. Sometimes we have a hard time grasping the extent of His love. We know it intellectually, but we can’t quite take it all in. Though we know we don’t deserve it, somehow, by His grace, we still receive it.
 
Paul’s hope for the Ephesians was that they would be able to “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.” This same hope is for us as well:  that we would be able somehow to comprehend the love of God in our lives and experience Him in ways that fill us with joy.

For Reflection

• Have you experienced the love of God in an extravagant way?

• How might an experience of God’s love surpass our human knowledge?

• How might you help someone else grasp the love of God through your actions?

Prayer

Lord, we thank You for all the ways You have poured out Your love in our lives. Forgive us for the ways that we take it for granted or even fail to notice, the times when we see Your grace as our own accomplishments. On this day, help us to see You and reflect Your love to those around us. Amen.