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The theme for our reflection is knowing Christ. To know Christ means developing a personal relationship with Christ. After explaining his calling to witness to the Gentile world and his suffering, Paul prayed for the spiritual strength of the Church of Ephesus. It is important to understand that before we can experience the fullness or glory of God in our lives and be strengthened, we must first have personal and saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Knowing Christ means that He dwells in our hearts through faith. In other words, without faith, it is impossible to know Christ and fully be strengthened spiritually. It is, for this reason, Paul prayed, “…that according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:16-17). We receive immeasurable blessings when we know Christ and He dwells in our hearts. By knowing Christ, we come to understand His love which is more valuable than the knowledge of this world and we are filled with the fullness of God. The fullness of God is the glory or presence of God in our lives. How can a believer live in this evil and broken world without experiencing the love and fullness of God through Christ Jesus? Paul puts it this way, “to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19. It must be our deepest prayer and desire that “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11). Beloved in the Lord, do you know Christ and do you have a personal relationship with Him? Jesus assures us that “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7). If we truly know Christ and have faith in Him then we must do His will by following His example and teachings, Jesus reminds us that “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23.)Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, strengthen our faith to continually be in relationship with Christ Jesus. Our desire is to remain in Him who is the hope of our glory. Amen