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