Sunday, July 20, 2025

Today's Scripture
Ephesians 3:14–21

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (NRSVUE)

Reflection

Do you know how to pray?

Each person writing a devotion owns a style, an approach, a focus. Some of us even engage in “name that tune,” as in “can you identify the author before we get to the signature line?” (Shout out to Andrea Denney.)

One characteristic of my writing is that the closing prayer is never a prayer. I typically offer additional scripture, lyrics from a hymn, especially a gospel, or wisdom sourced from our/my forebears (especially Hilda). I might qualify this approach with a statement of some profundity or leverage precise elocution, or I can be candid: I’m still learning how to pray. After decades of life and living, I’m not there yet. Is it a gift, a conviction, a learned skill?

Here, Paul writes, Paul prays, not just for the Ephesians but for a community he led; a place where he introduced the Christian church; a collage of humanity inclusive of Gentiles; and against forces of pagan worship and feigned intellectualism. His prayer makes us pause; it is soaring: “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” and then he endorses the majesty of God: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”

If there is a prayer savant, I offer Paul as the exemplar: a riveting case study, a teacher. Yet go beyond the prayer and consider the template of prayer Paul offers.

He stills his mind
He assumes a position of supplication
He identifies a focus, a purpose
He elevates God’s omnipotence, imploring us to accept the impossible
He invokes the Triune, and then
He celebrates both the joy and eternalness of Faith.

Like the Ephesians, a church was prepared for us; like the Ephesians, all of us were invited; the gift of glory in Christ Jesus is ours, now and for our future generations. And especially like the Ephesians, we have much for which we should and do pray.

So, the next time I pray, I know there is a way. Thank you, Paul.

Prayer

In the stillness of this moment, on bent knees and/or with head bowed, we present ourselves, offer our humble gratitude, and petition our meager needs, knowing you know us and our DNA better than we will ever know ourselves. As we lean into the everlasting arms of Jesus and welcome the Holy Spirit in our lives, we acknowledge with confident joy your will and hold fast our forever bond crafted by Faith and cemented by Love.

Hymn: “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” (Elisha Hoffman, 1887)

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
leaning on the everlasting arms?
have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
leaning on the everlasting arms.

Amen.

Written by Clyde Yancy, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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