Able!

Able!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20‭-‬21 NIV

The Context and Focus:

In order to fully appreciate the verses above, it is important to look at the verses before these. Paul was thanking God for the grace God had given him, in order to be an effective witness of Christ to the Gentiles. At the time, the Jews believed they were the only ones entitled to all of God's gifts and grace, because Jesus came from the lineage of the Jews. Well, the vessel was Jewish, but his Father is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Creator of the whole earth, and therefore all men are the object of His mercy and grace. Though the Jews were to be the first partakers of the gift of grace, by God's divine arrangement, all other races would also be part of the blessing of salvation in and through Christ. In and by Christ, all men, no matter the race or tribe, can approach the throne of God's grace with confidence, because there is sufficient supply for all the needs of men, no matter who they are or where they come from. It would mean that I have no excuse not to take from what has been freely given me. What am I waiting for? 

The Message:

Is anyone or anything keeping you away from your entitlements in Christ? This is why Paul could pray the way he did in this letter, and particularly this chapter. He made it clear that all families in heaven and on earth derive their name from the amazing Father we all have. We derive our origin from him, which means that our past was defined and sorted out by Him. Of course, if our past was defined by Him, our present cannot be anything other than what he has foreknown. He gives the power to make right decisions, but it has to be known that even my worst mistakes will work out that which is His perfect will. There is nothing in my present that God does not know about, but it does not mean He takes away my power of personal responsibility and accountability. We like to hide behinf God's omniscience to excuse our sins and wrongdoing, but we conveniently forget the part where God gives us the power of choice. God has supplied the grace and the strength to do what is right, and I must rely on that supply for my daily living. 

The Conclusion:

As you consider Paul's prayer, you note the reference to God, and the different measures of His grace, love, mercy and power. One lifetime on earth is never enough to fully grasp all of these concepts, and the chapter from where today's verses is taken makes that quite clear. This is why the verses above refer to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. No matter how much you think you know about God, or how much He has done for you in the past, it is nothing compared with what He can still do in the future. There is a power that the world cannot fathom, limit or define, yet it holds the whole earth in place, and continues to defy and exceed expectations. That is the power at my disposal, and the source is God. To this God belong all the glory, and I am the visible expression of God's grace. I am His earthly representative, and as long as this earth remains, God will never lack representatives. His church is His ambassador, and even in eternity, the marriage supper of the Lamb beckons. This is a relationship without an end, and I must do all I can to be a part of it when eternity with God in the new heaven starts. You do not want to miss this. He has done all that is required; how do I respond? God's time of favour is here.