◄ What Does Ephesians 3:18 Mean? ►

Paul desires that the spiritual awareness of the saints of God is all-embracing, such that we are able to comprehend the supernatural, multi-dimensional, breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love - through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son.

He had personally experienced this immeasurable love of God himself, for despite his cruel persecution of the Church, God in His grace had chosen Paul to be His own mouthpiece. He was used to preach the unfathomable riches of Christ to the Gentile nations and write much of the New Testament Scripture.

Paul was even charged with bringing to light the new administration of the mystery which had been hidden throughout all ages - so that the manifold wisdom of God could be spread abroad by the Church, not only to humanity, but to spiritual rulers and other angelic authorities in the heavenlies.

The Church did not appear as an afterthought by God when Israel rejected their Messiah. God was not surprised when Israel rejected their King and crucified their Saviour. He knows the end from the beginning and the formation of the Body of Christ was in accordance with God's eternal plan and purpose for the redemption of mankind - which was carried out through the Lord Jesus Christ, at Calvary.

Paul understood that the more we comprehend the love and the grace of God - and recognise that the righteousness and justice of God is underpinned by His goodness and grace - the more we grow in understanding, mature in the faith, and are strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit in our inner man.

It is no surprise that Paul, who had been snatched from the jaws of hell and saved from the pit of destruction by our gracious God, longed that we all come to an understanding of the truth. It is understandable that his desire was that we all come to a knowledge of Christ and increase in spiritual awareness. Paul longed that we all start to comprehend the multi-dimensional breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love - through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son.

God's great love reaches to the extremity of the earth. His never-failing faithfulness and deep compassion embraces every man, every woman, every child. It includes every colour and race, every creed and clime, and it is given without partiality and without favouritism.

His love stretches from eternity past, where the interactive, mutual love of each member of the Trinity united to formulate God's amazing plan of redemption - and it stretches on into the eternal ages to come, for God's love is everlasting and remains forever.

The depth of God's love is expressed in Christ's death on the Cross... for God loved the world so dearly, that He gave His only begotten Son to be the sacrifice for the sin of the whole world, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. And His love reaches into the heights of heaven above, where we have an inheritance kept for us by the power of the living God.

Oh yes, Paul desired that all believers are to be rooted and grounded in love, so that they may be able to grasp the multi-dimensional love of God, along with all those that are sanctified by faith. And as we mingle with those that are lost, or are seeking the truth of the glorious gospel of grace, this should be our deep desire too.

May we, like Paul, bow the knee before our Father in heaven from whom every family in heaven and earth derives its name, and let us pray that with us, they may be granted to know the riches of His glory so that they too may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth of God's love and to know the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge.

Heavenly Father, I bow before You in the name of Jesus, and thank You for Your great love which reached down from heaven to save a sinner like me. Use me I pray, to shed abroad the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ, so that others may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth of Your amazing love which passes all understanding. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.