Presence + Formation
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 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.
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 1:17-21, 3:16-19
Our prayer team has interceded for many things lately: for all of our camps, their leaders and students, for healing, and for upcoming ministries like Alpha. So, as I prayed about what our team might pray for this week, the cupboard looked a little bare. Maybe it was time to run it back, and return to the beginning for another round.
But as I spoke to Jesus — and my wife, Anita — asking, “What more can we pray for, Lord? You’ve been so good to us. Maybe we will just spend time thanking you!”
However, Paul’s prayers for the Ephesians immediately came to mind as Anita and I talked. That’s it. We need to pray for ourselves as the apostle prayed for us. Surely, God’s Word to the Ephesians through Paul is also His inspired Word for us. His prayers for them can be our prayers for us, as we agree with them and pray Scripture.
There is very little else that can supersede the importance of prayers that invite God’s Presence and covet His formation of us. As Paul summarizes, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…” (Eph 5:1-2). Paul is recommending we embrace a profound sense of God’s Presence in the Person of the Spirit so we might walk His path after Him — “the way of love” — as a child imitates a beloved parent.
The result is that we live more and more like Christ did, formed into His image, a reflection of Him back into a world that desperately needs to know Him. Thus, Presence and formation equal missional impact for the Kingdom.
— Pastor Steve