Awaken Your Church, Lord
Read Ephesians 1:16-18 ESV
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Read Ephesians 1:16-18 NIRV
I have not stopped thanking God for you. I always remember you in my prayers. I pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the glorious Father. I keep asking him to give you the wisdom and understanding that come from the Holy Spirit. I want you to know God better. I pray that you may understand more clearly. Then you will know the hope God has chosen you to receive. You will know that what God will give his holy people is rich and glorious.
These are Paul’s words written to the church in the city of Ephesus, which is located on the Aegean Sea in what is now modern day Turkey. It was a cultural hub of the province due to its proximity to the coast with many roads going in and out of the city. The new followers of Jesus living there would have encountered many cultural differences and religious practices. Paul recognized this and prayed that they would have great wisdom and understanding as they grew in their understanding of who Jesus is. He knew that their eyes would need to be opened to the truths that came from Jesus so they could distinguish the difference between following Jesus and the culture they were immersed in.
But Paul could have just as easily been writing these words to us today. With the ease of access to technology and our ability to be continuously connected globally, we too find ourselves immersed in a sea of culture. It isn’t all bad, but sometimes, with the sheer magnitude of all that is within our reach, it can be hard to distinguish the difference. Especially since everyone has a different view of what is right and wrong. Just like the Ephesians – we need wisdom and understanding. We too need our eyes opened to what it really looks like to follow Jesus – to know Him better. Certainly we need to have wisdom and understanding for our own personal growth in Christ, but Paul knew back then, and it still holds true today, that we also need it because the truth and the love of Jesus was meant to be shared. And we can’t share it if we can’t see it.
The way I see it is that it leaves us with a choice. We can choose to walk blindly through life – not acknowledging where God is showing up and pointing us back to him – OR we can ask Him to open our eyes and wake us up to who He is and His purposes, and boldly walk where He is walking while choosing to invite others to journey with us.
Maybe today in light of your desire to follow after Jesus and be His apprentice you might ask yourself these questions:
Are there things about who God is that I am willing to close my eyes to?
Am I actively praying for wisdom and understanding, waking me up in a sense, so that I can recognize what God is doing in the world around me and then acting on that wisdom?
Are there people God has placed in my life that He is calling me to really see and to whom I can introduce the amazing love of Jesus?
Where might my eyes need to be opened when it comes to knowing God better?
