Power From On High
If you have ever seen a movie in 3-D – possibly presented on a dome IMAX screen—you will know that the experience is remarkable. Images flow out of the screen and action happens all around you. It can feel like you’re entering another world – the world of the film itself. But to enter that experience, you must wear the 3-D glasses that are provided. Without the glasses, the experience just doesn’t work. All you see is a blurry screen, and whatever might be beautiful in proper focus is reduced to a lifeless blur. Paul knows that there are stunning realities before us if we belong to the Lord. What God has in store for us, and what He has already given us in Christ, is astounding in its scope and beauty. But we need to have the proper “eyewear” to see it.
In Ephesians 1, Paul prays that we may have “the eyes of our heart enlightened” (v. 19). This is a wonderful concept – a lovely turn of phrase – “the eyes of our heart”. There are certain things that we can only see with the eyes of our heart – certain things that are only visible by faith. One of those things is God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe” (v. 20). We indeed need power from on high. If we’re at all realistic about the Christian life, we should be acutely aware of our own powerlessness to do and to be what God has called us to be. The sinfulness of our own hearts is very profound, the determination of the evil one to derail us is very strong, and the enticements of the world around us are very real. We’re weak to resist and prone to sin. Plus, the realities of sufferings are very pressing and we’re easily overwhelmed.
Paul is acutely aware that we need divine power. He prays that we would know the “mighty strength” of God (v.20). This is very great strength indeed! It is the same power that God “exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms” (v. 20). It is glorious indeed that this degree of power is available to us today! It is the same power that rose a thoroughly dead man to life. And it is the same power that took God’s humiliated son from the place of shame and powerlessness in the grave to the place of highest honour in the universe, “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (v. 21). The greatest power behind the greatest drama in the history of the universe is available to you.
Paul ends his prayer by declaring that “God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church” (v. 22). Gloriously, the church—which is so privileged and so blessed—is Christ’s “body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (v. 23). Be encouraged this week: the Spirit of the risen and exalted Christ lives within you and fills you, if you belong to Him. With God’s divine power, you can resist sin, endure in the midst of trial and grief, and persevere through suffering. Of course, it takes the eyes of faith to see these things and believe because we are naturally blind to them. May God’s Spirit enlighten the eyes of your heart today so that you can live in the good of these realities each day.