×

A Prayer for Ongoing Going Gospel Renewal in Our Churches

     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 to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 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.  Eph. 3:17-21

Dear heavenly Father, meditating on Paul’s prayer for believers in Ephesus, fills my heart with gratitude for the gospel of your grace. You’ve planted our roots deep and secure, in the fathomless depths of your agape love. Our eternal joy and health are not in doubt. We will flourish and thrive forever. The gates of hell will not overcome the growth and forward movement of your beloved people (Matt. 16:18).

However, until that Day Jesus returns, so much can happen to us and among us as your people. Satan hates the church, and we are an “in Christ” but “yet-to-be-glorified” people. What but a bigger and better grasp of Jesus’ love can keep us focused on the things that really matter, and repentant for the ways we fail one another? Really good churches can fall into really big messes; and only the love of Jesus can win the day.

Father, I’m glad you can do so “immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine,” but I’ll settle today for what I can ask and imagine. I ask you to restore our first love relationship with Jesus. And I ask you for an outpouring of your Holy Spirit that will enable to grasp how wide, long, high, and deep is the love of Jesus.

Humble us, soften us, and center us on Jesus. Dead bones can live again (Ezekiel 37); chilled-hearted believers can dance again, to the music of the gospel (Luke 15); churches can get unstuck, outward facing, and onward moving. Long before the Day of consummate revival, bring us into, and keep us in, a perpetual gospel renewal. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ holy and loving name.

LOAD MORE
Loading