Today’s Devotional Theme Pursue Peace
Daily ScriptureEphesians 3:17-19
“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.”
Encouragement
The Hebrew word olam is – let’s face it – untranslatable. Yet the concepts in the Old Testament olam represents are fundamental to the whole Bible narrative. This word occurs hundreds of times and variously represents ancient times, future times, unbounded time – eternity – or unbounded space, for example the heavens. Olam occasionally stands in for God Himself, since he is unbounded by dimensions or time’s passage. The ancient Hebrews, unlike the Greeks who came centuries later, didn’t try to understand God or time or space; they merely recognized that these entities played essential roles in their lives. Paul, a Hebrew to the marrow, knew very well the word olam and the concept it represents.
Apply God’s Word
God isn’t limited by time or space. After all, He created them! He can “go” anywhere at -all. In Psalm 139:7-8 David asks, “Where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in Sheol [the Hebrew world for hell], You are there!” David may be reliving his guilt over the Bathsheba and Uriah affair. In any case, he freely acknowledges that God will “find” him wherever he chooses to go. Ephesians 3:18-19 talks about a Godly love that transcends any set of dimensions we can imagine. The word for comprehend, katalambano, conveys an idea of throwing your mind over an idea like a canvas over a piece of plywood you’ve just measured and want to protect from the weather. The love Christ pours on us actually transcends any set of dimensions we can wrap our minds around. Today’s verses hold an implicit paradox: verse 17 suggests we can encompass the love of Christ in all 4 of its extents – width, length, depth, and height. Then the very next verse informs us that His love is actually boundless – it surpasses our deepest knowledge. Jeremiah 33:11 reminds us of the durability of God’s love. His mercy endures forever. It will never die – as also pointed out in many of the Psalms. The qualities of God, including His love for mankind, know no bounds.
Come into His Presence
Lord God, when I think about how I struggled just to stay alive before I knew You, I rejoice that now I bask in Your love and mercy. Your goodness knows no bounds, and my life is no longer the struggle it used to be. Thank You! In Jesus’ name, amen.
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