Together in Christ: 'On My Knees!' — Ephesians 3:14-15

Thursday, September 14, 2023

When I think of all [God's plans to unify all races through the church to display his divine wisdom], I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
— Ephesians 3:14-15 NLT

Key Thought

God has a plan! No matter how humans may rebel, sin, or undermine the Kingdom of God, intentionally or accidentally, God has a plan to unite all people in Christ. [1] Despite concerns around the world with pandemics, diseases, war, prejudice, genocide, sexual slavery, human trafficking, and political division; God has a plan. That plan centers on Jesus. That plan will express itself through our actions to unify all people as members of Jesus' family, united by all having the same Spirit of God within us. [2] Those who belong to Christ Jesus will experience this and rejoice in it together.

What politics, ideologies, and false religions cannot do, Jesus will do in us, through us, and with us. [3] We rejoice in this promise, and we should fall on our knees in praise as we pray for this promise to hasten in coming. Praise and prayer are our fitting responses.

Our appropriate response is to pray for each other — our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should pray for each other whether those other brothers and sisters in Christ are easy to love, have hurt us, been at odds with us, or even hate us. [4] When we pray, we release the power of the Holy Spirit into each others' lives and enable us to live into our better nature that has been re-created in us by the new birth into God's family. [5] So, dear friend in Jesus, let's get busy praying for each other and use Paul's prayer that follows [6] as a guide!

[1] 1 Corinthians 1:10, 6:17; Ephesians 2:12-22.
[2] Galatians 3:26-4:7; Ephesians 4:4-6.
[3] Revelation 7:9-12.
[4] Matthew 5:43-48.
[5] Ephesians 1:17-20, 3:16-17, 20-21.
[6] Ephesians 3:14-21.

Today's Prayer

Father, please hear this prayer as my heartfelt longing for You to be at work in the lives of Your people:

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray 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 his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. [Amen.]
* Ephesians 1:17–19.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21, 6:18-20
  • James 5:13-20

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Illustration

Illustration of Ephesians 3:14-15 NLT — When I think of all [God's plans to unify all races through the church to display his divine wisdom], I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

About This Devotional

Together in Christ is a daily devotional that focuses on what Scripture teaches about godly living in relationships.

'Together in Christ' is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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