GMG Week 6 Reflection {Ephesians 3:14-21}

This week the Good Morning Girls studied Ephesians 3:14-21;

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you , according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all the we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him, be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (NASB)

Because Paul has experienced God's grace in his own life by God using Paul as part of his eternal plan (see last week's reflection), in this week's passage he prays that the Ephesians would also be empowered by the Spirit for God's glory. As part of Paul's prayer, he wants the Ephesians to understand God's great love for us.  I imagine this is because if they can grasp God's unconditional love, it will motivate and free them to do great things for God's glory.

I was blessed to grow up with parents who love me unconditionally. I knew there was nothing I could ever do to lose their love.  There might be consequences to my choices, but I always knew that they loved me even if they allowed me to learn lessons "the hard way." Their love was freeing and motivating to me. Freeing because I didn't feel pressure to earn their love. Freeing because I could go after dreams, no matter how big, knowing I might not achieve them, but that they would love me anyway. Motivating because, even though I knew they would always love me, I wanted to please them and I wanted them to be proud of me. My parents made it easy for me to at least begin to understand God's great unconditional love for me that surpasses all knowledge.

I don't have to be afraid of failing at any endeavor because God loves me no matter what. I am free to tackle seemingly unsurmountable challenges because He can "do far more abundantly than we ask or think, according to the power that works within us." I am motivated by His love to be part of His eternal plan and to bring glory to Him.

I am confident that I have experienced God's love as well as God's power working in my life for His glory. The experience has been so transformational for me that I identify with Paul as He writes this.  I too want my family, my friends, and everybody to understand God's love for them and to experience His grace and power working through their lives to bring glory to Himself. That is why I share this reflection each week, so that maybe my experiences will resonate and encourage someone else towards experiencing God's transformational love and grace and power.