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

Thursday, September 19, 2024

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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

Over the decades of my adult life, 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 Him and His loving presence:

[In His prayer, Jesus said,] "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"? This is an important question because experiencing Christ's love is essential if we are going to "be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." Here are some ways:

  • 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 us and make their home with us. [3]
     
  • Do as Paul does in today's verse: Pray for other believers as well as ourselves to be filled by the Spirit to open our hearts and minds to Jesus' loving presence in us and have them pray the same for 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 things sincerely and thoughtfully 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 His 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 3:19 NIV.
[2] John 17:3 — We must realize that knowing God and Jesus means far more than knowing about them; knowing Them means intimate and experiential knowledge.
[3] John 14:15-23.
[4] Ephesians 3:14-16
[5] Ephesians 5:15-21, 6:18 lists these things: understanding what the Lord wants you to do, 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 4:20-32, 5:1-2; 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 to know the truth of the Scriptures about God's love for me in Jesus and also to 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, trusting 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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