Ephesians 3:14-21 is one of the greatest prayers ever prayed for the church. But because of the greatness of the prayer, I never noticed how the prayer ends.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Did you catch that?
I get so caught up in the "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" part that I kind of skim over the rest.
But the rest is just mind boggling!!!
Where is the locus or the place in which God will do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine"? It is us, the body of Christ, the CHURCH!!!
Look at what Paul says, "to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus..." Did you catch that?
I always think of glory and then automatically think of Jesus Christ. But Paul reminds us of something huge. You can't have Jesus without his church, which is his body.
When I think about the church, I see a place that's filled with sinners, and therefore, filled with all kinds of issues and problems and stinky situations. There has never been, and there will never be until Christ returns a church that is free from sin.
But the reality is that this is not a complete picture of the church.
Sure, an imperfect church is who we may be now, but that's because Jesus is not done perfecting the church. And that's because we are not done being sanctified - or becoming more like Christ.
This passage has blown me away about the understanding of the church. I thought I had a high view and esteem of the church, even with its warts and all, but it's nothing compared to the reality of who the church is in God's eye.
When the church gets it right, the fullness of God's glory resides there.
How awesome is that?!!!
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