The Love of God

The Lord is great and greatly to be praised. In reflection of my morning reading, I was struck by the words of "treasure" and "richness" that the Amplified Bible uses. Here is my journal entry from this morning:

"To me, though I am very least of all the saints, this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unending (boundless, fathomless, unsearchable, incalculable, and exhaust-less) riches of Christ [wealth which no human being could have searched out]." -- Ephesians 3:8

But surely these riches are not simply physical....

"Out of His infinite glory, may He give you the power through His spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted and built on love, you will, with all the saints, have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; until, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God." -- Ephesians 3:17-19

Oh Lord, the greatest riches in all the world is a relationship with you. And as with any earthly relationship between men, it must be based in love. Those friends that make life mean something are rooted in love. But how much more with you?

These verses say that the fullness of the love of Christ is beyond all knowledge. BUT the unending, boundless, fathomless, unsearchable, incalculable, and exhaust-less riches of Christ is that the Holy Spirit can enlighten my "hidden man/ inner self" (Himself indwelling my innermost being and personality) to the GRANDNESS of His love for me. What is "beyond all knowledge" can become knowledge to me, through the power of the Holy Spirit. The greatest riches I could ever have is a deeper glimpse of how wide and long and high an deep the love of Christ is towards me. His love surpasses mere knowledge. And this growing understanding of His love for me fills me with the utter fullness of God [the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself].

"Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly, [far over and above], all that I dare to ask or think (or pray of desire or hope for or dream)- to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen." -- Ephesians 3:20-21

Lord, change me through and through. Your Word is true and life giving. Your love is without end. Let me dwell in the exhaust-less riches of Christ through knowing and being confident in your love for me. Oh, that the depth and length and height and width of your love for me would circulate through my heart. Bring back to life those areas that have grown cold. Let me daily be filled to the utter fullness of You. Only then can my cup run over. Only then can You use me at my full potential. Only then will my light shine the brightest, for Your glory, because I will be secure and confident in Your unconditional love for me.

Again, I go back to Psalms 8:4-6, "What is man that you are mindful of him? And the son of man that you care for him? YET (although unworthy and nothing), You have made her a little lower than the angels, and you have crowned her with glory and majesty!" Praise You that even the greatest expressions of love on this earth come nowhere close to Your love for me.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee,
How great thou art! How great thou art!

Thank you Jesus! Amen.