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 also 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 the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:17-19a)
This is a prayer that Paul offered for the Ephesians. It is also a prayer he offered for us, though he might not have known it at that time. In turn, it is a beautiful prayer to offer for our brothers and sisters in Christ. I have this passage underlined in my Bible, and some time in the past I wrote, “I’m claiming this prayer!” I often pray this for myself by putting it in first person. It’s a powerful prayer.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know Him better.
Take a few minutes and reflect on this verse. What am I asking for? In John 3:16, Jesus says to the disciples, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” Imagine! The Holy Spirit, through His guidance and revelation, will lead us into all truth.
I pray also that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that I may know the hope to which He has called me, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.
Take a few more minutes to ponder this verse as well. The comment in my study Bible says “the eyes of my heart” refers to your mind, understanding, or inner awareness. Hope has the quality of certainty. It is the assurance of eternal life guaranteed by the present possession of the Holy Spirit. “His glorious inheritance in the saints” refers to either the inheritance we have in God, or God’s inheritance of the saints themselves.
It is a powerful and beautiful passage. As I consider what God has done for me through Jesus during this season of Lent, I pray I will not just read these words, but be transformed by them.
After spending some time in prayer and meditation, ingesting this passage, I invite you to spend some time in praise. Listen, or sing along with Michael W. Smith as he performs “Open the Eyes of My Heart.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnqb7Vn4AEE
Amen!
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