Tuesday, July 13: Ephesians 3- Freedom and Confidence.

Verse12 seemed to be in bold print as I read this chapter…  In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. What a word from God. We may approach God with freedom.  In olden times, average people could only go into the king’s presence if summoned or a personal petition was granted.  Common folk were denied access to Kings and other important people. It is much the same today with governors and presidents.  They are too important and too busy to see anyone and everyone who wants to stop by and chat. But through Christ, (note the words ‘in him’) and the doors that faith in Jesus opens, we have freedom to enter God’s presence whenever we want! We have complete open access to the one who made the heavens and the earth.

And it gets better. We may approach God with confidence, also! We don’t have to enter wondering if maybe, possibly, hopefully, God will give us his attention and listen to what we have to say or ask. NO, we have confidence that God will receive and listen to us.

Freedom to approach when we want/need and confidence that God will receive us is a great  gift given by Jesus!

It is no surprise that Paul prays such a bold and BIG prayer immediately following this word from the Lord. Today, I conclude praying Paul’s BIG prayer for you and for me…

O, Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of [Your] glorious riches [God] may strengthen you [and me] with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you [and I], being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, 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 [and I] may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

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. (14-21).