Ephesians 3:14-19
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 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. (NLT)

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. (MSG)

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Suppose you inherited a diamond mine. Not like the one in Arkansas that yields a diamond a decade, but unending daily diamonds of exquisite beauty. Priceless jewels used to mark engagements and anniversaries, stones reflecting light in ever-changing beauty, refracting light to the delight of all who observe the most solid of stones at play with the very essence of creation.

That is what these verses are like. So much truth is packed into such a small space. As we pause to observe, apply, and pray these verses, we realize just how deep is this mine, how full of riches it truly is. We, along with the Apostle Paul, can’t help but say, “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.”

The Trinity is on display in these verses in their interworking wonder.

God’s expansive love is here.

The empowering presence of the Holy Spirit is here.

The fullness of God’s goodness and power is here.

The confident acknowledgement of Jesus’ home in our hearts is here.

Mark this paragraph. Meditate on its truths often. Embrace its beauty. Declare its truth. Allow it to shape your understanding and application of grace, mercy, and kindness.

As The Message paraphrase says, “Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

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I will live a full and meaningful life, full in the fullness of God.

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Our Father, enlarge our capacity to comprehend what you are saying to us here. Empower us to live in full alignment and attunement with these truths. Use us to draw others into this amazing grace and extravagant love. Amen.