November 6, 2019
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you for praying with us today. Although we pray daily for our prodigals and for revival, there’s something special about joining together in focused prayer with this common burden on Wednesdays. Whether or not we see immediate answers to our prayers, we know God hears our prayers and is working. We really appreciate those of you who are praying with us. Thank you.
As Paul prays in Ephesians three, he talks about the vast dimensions of God’s love:
So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph.3:17-19).
Paul uses these dimensions—breadth, length, height, and depth—to stretch our minds and help us understand a little more of the unfathomable nature of our eternal God. The breath or width reveals the scope of His love, a love that embraces each and every person regardless of background, personality, or even failure. The length speaks of the distance from the heights of heaven to the dark hill of Golgotha, where redemption was provided. There is no length His love would not go. The height tells us that God’s love transcends all other loves. It is higher than the heavens, and the depth reminds us that this love descends down below the surface fathomlessly. It is a love that is genuine and real. Paul wants us to know (experience) this love in a way that will reflect the wonder of who God is. God’s love is meant to be enjoyed and shared. I would like to challenge our hearts as we seek to love like God.
Is your love wide? Is it wide enough to embrace the most difficult of believers? It is relatively easy to love those who think and act like you, but what about those who are different? Or, what about those who rub you the wrong way? Or, what about those who seek to tear you down and hurt you? God’s love should be manifested in our lives towards all believers. This doesn’t mean that we have to like what they are doing, but it does mean that we treat them as with the kindness and compassion of Christ.
Is your love long? Is it long enough to make a great sacrifice for someone in need? Long love reaches even to those who cannot do anything in return, such as those who are homeless, in great poverty, sick or bedridden, or imprisoned.
Is your love high? Is it as high as the heavens? Three times in the Psalms we learn that God’s love is higher than the heavens. What does that mean? It conveys the idea of a love that transcends our normal limitations. Are you willing to allow God to love through you so that your love can be stretched and grow to higher heights?
Is your love deep? Is it deep enough to love with a non-judgmental spirit? Is it unconditional and real? Does it have true sincerity or are you just playacting? Love that is deep goes beyond the surface of external show and outward conformity. It is love that loves no matter what. It is love that truly cares about the person being loved and not about oneself.
May all of us continue to experience and love others with God’s multidimensional love, so wide, long, high, and deep.
Love in Christ,
Bryan and Rachel
