Together in Christ: 'Experiencing Christ' — Ephesians 3:19

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
— Ephesians 3:19 NLT

Key Thought

For over four decades, I have invited people to experience the promised presence of Jesus as I have prayed and visited with them. Knowing about Jesus and intellectually trying to grasp His greatness are worthy spiritual endeavors. But there is something about experiencing the love of Jesus that "surpasses knowledge" [1] The words of Jesus echo in my heart and give urgency to my passion for experiencing Jesus and His loving presence:

And this is the way to have eternal life — to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. [2]

So, how do we "experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully"? Because this appears to be essential if we are going to "be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."

  • Spend time in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) learning about Jesus, listening to his teaching, and living in obedience to Him so the Father, Son, and Spirit can live in and make their home with us. [3]
     
  • Do as Paul does here, pray for other believers, and have them pray for us to be filled by the Spirit to open our hearts and minds to Jesus' loving presence in us. [4]
     
  • Do the things that the Bible says fill us with the Holy Spirit. [5]
     
  • Love and forgive each other as we have been loved and forgiven by Jesus. [6]
     
  • Open our hearts and invite Jesus to be real daily as the Spirit pours His love into our hearts. [7]

Please know that this is not a comprehensive list. And please, don't do this as a punch list of things you need to check off your spiritual to-do list. Do these and seek the Lord's presence with you. Ask to experience His love as you do them. Look for evidence of His presence in your life. Pause in your quiet moments and listen for His presence. Trust the promise to be present even in your spiritually dry times. Remind yourself that Jesus is present in you, seeking to make Himself and His love known to you spiritually!

[1] Ephesians 4:19 NIV.
[2] John 17:3 — realizing that knowing God and Jesus means far more than knowing about them; it is a term of intimate and experiential knowledge.
[3] John 14:15-23.
[4] Ephesians 3:14-16
[5] Ephesians 4:15-21, 6:18 lists these things: speaking to one another in psalms and hymns, singing, making music in our hearts, giving thanks joyfully to the Lord, submitting to each other to honor Jesus, and praying.
[6] Ephesians 4:20-5:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18.
[7] Revelation 3:20.

Today's Prayer

Precious Holy Spirit, I believe you are the Breath of God sent to me by Jesus. Please fill me with Your holy presence. Open my heart and my mind to Jesus' presence with me. Help me know the truth of the Scriptures about God's love for me in Jesus, and also experience that truth in my inner being. I want to be fully formed into the spiritual person of Jesus by having the fullness of God — Father, Son, and Spirit — alive inside me. I ask this on my trust in Jesus' authority and built upon His promises. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Ephesians 5:15-21, 6:18
  • 1 John 2:20-27

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Illustration

Illustration of Ephesians 3:19 NLT — May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

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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