“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”
—Ephesians 1:18–19     

Reflection

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is unlike many of the other epistles he wrote to the early churches. Instead of pointing out problems in the congregation, Paul spent time explaining core truths of the gospel and how to apply them to our lives.

Paul wrote that we have been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) Father chose us in Jesus before the foundation of the world, predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, and sealed us in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.

Then, near the end of Ephesians 1, Paul prayed for the body of Messiah, that is, you and me, that we would experience the reality of what Yeshua provided for us through His death on the cross.

It is God’s heart to give you and me, His children on earth today, the same things Paul was asking for two thousand years ago. Paul’s requests reflect the Father’s will for your life. He desires to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. He wants the eyes of your heart to be enlightened so that you will know the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

Paul introduced this prayer by speaking of their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for all the saints. He was praying for those who have a living faith in Messiah, evidenced by love.

The older I get in the Lord, the more I see that the ultimate fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, which will remain forever. All the gifts of the Spirit will pass away, except faith, hope, and love, with love being the greatest of these. Jesus said that all people will know we are His disciples if we have love for one another.

If we’re walking in love and the love in our lives is increasing, then we’re truly on the journey of faith in Messiah.

We can’t take for granted that we’re walking in love. We must examine ourselves. One of the ways we can do this is by asking whether we are walking in love and whether our love is increasing.

None of us is perfect. We recognize failings in our lives. But we are on a journey to perfection, and the perfection is love. If you have a living faith in Yeshua, and you are striving to walk in love and growing in it, you can have confidence that this prayer is for you.

Application

• Ask Father to give you wisdom and revelation so that you increasingly experience the reality of what Yeshua has provided for you.
• Examine your life by asking whether you are walking in love and whether that love is increasing.

Prayer

Father of glory, give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. Enlighten the eyes of my heart so that I may know the hope of Your calling, the riches of Your inheritance, and the surpassing greatness of Your power toward me as I believe. Help me not merely to know these truths, but to experience their reality in my life. Examine my heart and cause me to grow in love, because I want my faith in Yeshua to be evidenced by love. Continue leading me on this journey until I look more and more like Messiah. Amen.