For This Reason, I Bow My Knee

Ephesians 3:13-21

"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant to you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

I am able to understand that the Father would want us strengthened with might in the inner man; Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith; comprehending the entirety of His love. What does Paul's bowing of knee to the Father have to do with it?

"I now rejoice in my sufferings for you; and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body which is the church."  Colossians 1:24

Paul's bowing of knee to the Father- rejoicing in his suffering for us, was necessary so that the words of truth the disciples exhorted with did not become a lecture series, but instead alive for men to see. I mentioned in a prior posting that Paul might have been a type of first fruits of those who would walk just as Jesus walked. Paul lived these Spirit-inspired words before men. There must be men who live these words today for the sake of others. When you see a christian rejoicing in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; laying down his life for his friend; he, as Paul in Christ, is doing it for you.


"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God." Romans 8:18,19

Know The Time Of His Visitation (Luke 19:41-44; John 4:4, 21, 42)

 "Now as He drew near, He saw the city (Jerusalem) and wept over it, saying, 'If you had KNOWN, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, BECAUSE YOU DID NOT KNOW THE TIME OF YOUR VISITATION.' "

"If you KNEW the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water."

Jesus Christ presented Himself to Israel and to the Samaritan woman; to the Jews and to Gentiles. In both of these cases, His visitation was not received. We know Israel's religious leaders gave much thought of how they might destroy Him instead of receiving their Messiah as Lord. The Samaritan woman, having a personal meeting with Jesus, informed Him of what she knew as He was trying to minister living water to her. In fact, Jesus said, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father" for "you worship what You do not know......". Doesn't sound good. Even after Jesus prophesies of her sin, the best she can do is, "Could this be the Christ?" Interestingly, many of her fellow Samaritans believed, AND SAID, "we ourselves have heard Him AND WE KNOW that this indeed is the Christ, the Savior of the world".

Again, Jesus ministered in physical, bodily form prior to His crucifixion; but now by the Holy Spirit, upon the Word of God and by His laborers. His VISITATION continues as we hear and willingly respond to what we hear.

"To those who have, more will be given and they will have in abundance!" I pray that each of us recognize and receive His VISITATION.

Less Than The Least (Ephesians 3:8-11)

 

"To me, who am LESS THAN THE LEAST of all the saints, this grace was given; that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, AND to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ, to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,......"


Let's first discuss Paul's self-description that he is "less than the least of all saints".  How could that be an accurate evaluation if our Lord chose him to write a large portion of the New Testament? Paul informs us that he was behind no other apostle in exploits for the Lord's kingdom; in fact, more fruitful. What could he possibly mean? Was he exaggerating or exhibiting false humility? In Galatians 2:20, Paul informs us that he "has been crucified with Christ; it is no longer (he) who lives but Christ lives in him." Could he mean that the "I" or "me" in him (Paul) is less than in any other saint?  He is no longer governed by "himself" but by Christ Jesus; that Christ has come to abide in him; that he has become complete in Him; that which is perfect or mature has come to/for him? In Luke 14:33, Jesus teaches "whoever does not forsake ALL that he has cannot be My disciple."


Now, lets look at what "less than the least" produced for Paul. Because he forsook all that he had, God's grace was given to: preach the unsearchable riches of Christ; to make all see (by his words and deeds) what is the fellowship of the mystery which is hidden in God so that manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church according to His eternal purpose. Lets ask this question: what kept the the "mystery and manifold wisdom" from being revealed, aside from what the Father revealed through Jesus Christ, by the other disciples?  Could it be that Paul emptied or surrendered himself to a place no other had to that point? It is available for all in Christ to understand and demonstrate these "unsearchable riches" and "fellowship in the hidden mysteries in God." But, why are these truths hidden? For the same reason you don't share your deepest feelings with just anybody: the relationship is not intimate enough.


Could it be that Paul emptied or surrendered himself to a place no other disciple had to that point; a kind of first fruits of those who would walk just as Jesus walked?