" 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."


          I am often asked to pray for people. Usually there is a specific reason such as healing or a particular need they wish God to step in and correct. I understand, if I am sick the number one thing on my mind is to feel better, to be well. But what is the number one thing that God would want me to pray for that person? Is there something even more important than receiving our immediate want or need?

          Paul answers this question in Ephesians 1:15-23. This was his prayer for his readers. First of all he was thankful for them, their faith and their love. How would it make you feel to know the apostle Paul was thankful for you? He goes on to mention some petitions, requests to God. His petitions wasn't for them all to be well, or to have all their problems solved. His main petition for them was that they might know God. He prayed they might have the Spirit of wisdom to know him better and that the eyes of their hearts might be opened. Paul specifically asks that they would know the hope of His calling, know the riches of the glory of His inheritance, and know the greatness of His power.

          Why is knowing God better such an important prayer? Our knowledge and vision is so limited. What seems good one moment turns out to be the worst thing that could have happened to us. And what seemed so terrible, in retrospect was a great blessing. We really don't know how to pray as we ought until we see things as God does. 

                   Lord, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see you!
         

 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ


        Two of Paul's letters seem to be written not so much as letters, but as statements of faith. In Romans, Paul gives his theology of salvation. In Ephesians he discusses our unity with God through Jesus Christ and then how we need to live out our unity with God in our relationships here and now. He begins this with reminding us about all the blessings we have from God through Jesus.  Verse three begins this section and continues through verse 14.

      Often when we think of being blessed we want it to be in a material form such as extra money that unexpectedly comes in the mail or physical healing and recovery. We may apply it to our relationships here and now, making a new friend, finding the love of our life. But Paul begins with pointing us upward. Our greatest blessings are spiritual. What God has done for us in establishing our relationship with him as far more important, much more a blessing then just putting an extra hundred dollars in our checking account. 

       Why is that? We have to consider what is real. We are wrapped in flesh, this world is what we see and experience. Physical blessings are things that we see now. Yet the spiritual world is the one that will outlast the here and now. Spiritual reality is more real than physical. So a spiritual blessing is one that stays with us always. We receive extra money today and by tomorrow we have spent it and by the next day after that we are wishing for more. We recover from one illness only to come down with something else later on. Spiritual blessings, our life with God, is for eternity. Now that is a blessing worth having. 

" You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,"declares the Lord."

         A few weeks ago I shared verse 11 just before this. Each one is a beautiful promise, but a promise that comes not from seeking what we want but from trusting God. I mentioned before that Jeremiah had the difficult task of speaking God's truth to the kingdom of Judah as it fell. Chapter 29 is actually a letter that God had Jeremiah write to the exiles in Babylon. In the letter he tells them to settle in where they are taken, go on with life and when the time is right God would bring the people back out of exile.

         The path back seems to always begin with soul searching repentance. We see that with the Prodigal son as he is feeding pigs in a foreign land. We see it when Jacob decides it is time to return home and face the wrath of his brother Esau. We see Peter restored by Jesus after his heart check of feed my sheep. We need to feel our need, to know that we need to come back. 

         The promise that when we are ready, so is God. Jesus said seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. The Prodigal son found the father waiting for him. Jacob found Esau with arms wide open. Peter went on to preach the gospel to the very people he had coward before earlier. Are you lost? Do you know if you are lost or found. If you are lost seek God. And in finding God you will find that he has found you.