ephesians 1:16-21

i'm blessed to be leading a small group through the book of ephesians this season... we have such an amazing time just sharing meals, thoughts, and prayers and struggling together to accept and live out the Word of God. it's amazing how often we bristle when God's ideas clash with our own (that sounds so silly typing it)... yet when we open our hearts to receive it, it's the most beautiful plan imaginable.

it's interesting: when paul was in prison, rather than praying for himself like any of us would do in prison, he just prays for his people. that they would have right theology (knowledge of God), wisdom, and open hearts.

our God has a name. his name is Jesus. we don't have to guess about what part of the elephant we're touching. he revealed himself through his word, and if we missed that he stepped into history as a man.

we no longer have to throw our questions to the sky: is there one god? many gods? how do we please the gods? the true God has ended our speculation with revelation of himself, so we no longer have to guess.

knowing this gives us wisdom--the practical outworking of the knowledge of God. if we know this God, how does it affect our marriage..? now that we know this God, how does it affect our relationships? now that we know this God, how does it affect our jobs, our finances, our choices..?

then paul prays something very curious: that our hearts would be open to receive this great God. alot of the times our problem is not that we don't know who God is, our problem is that we don't like him. it's as if God labors under this weird myth that He is in control... and it's very frustrating to those of us who have our own plans, our own ideals, our own lives...

may God reveal himself to us through the scriptures so that we will know who He is, may he give us wisdom so that as we live our lives we actually look like Christians, and may he give us a heart to receive who he is and what he has done so that we do not reject the truth.

please gather with a group of friends and meet together opening the Word and sharing your struggles, prayers, and lives.