Christ May Dwell in Your Hearts Through Faith
Date: October 1, 2024
I use the BLESS method every morning for my devotional.
B - Bible Verse
L - Listen for God's Voice and pray
E - Explore the History and meaning
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
S - Summarize and Share
B - Bible Verse in NIV (Ephesians 3:17-19) "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
L - Listen for God's Voice and pray Heavenly Father, we invite Christ to dwell in our hearts. Root us deeply in Your love and help us to understand its immense dimensions. May we experience Your love in ways that go beyond our understanding, filling us completely with Your presence. In Jesus' name, Amen.
E - Explore the History and meaning Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians while in prison, encouraging the believers in their faith. This passage is part of a prayer Paul offers for the Ephesians, focusing on their spiritual growth and understanding of Christ's love.
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
"Christ may dwell in your hearts" - Having Christ at the center of our being
"Rooted and established in love" - Firmly grounded in God's love
"Love that surpasses knowledge" - God's love goes beyond human understanding
S - Summarize and Share (Surrendered Hearts theme) When Paul wrote these words, he was actually in prison. Can you imagine that? Here he is, locked up, and instead of complaining, he's praying this beautiful prayer for the Ephesians – and for us!
Paul's talking about having Christ dwell in our hearts. It's not just about believing in Jesus; it's about inviting Him to make Himself at home in the very center of who we are. It's like saying, "Lord, come on in. Rearrange the furniture if You need to. This heart is Your home."
And then Paul uses this wonderful picture of being "rooted and established in love." I love that image! Think about a big, strong tree with its roots going deep into the ground. That's how God wants us to be – our lives deeply rooted in His love, drawing strength and nourishment from it every day.
But here's the thing that really blows my mind. Paul prays that we would understand how wide, long, high, and deep Christ's love is. It's like he's saying, "Folks, God's love is bigger than you can imagine!" It stretches in every direction, covering every part of our lives.
And get this – Paul says this love "surpasses knowledge." That means it's so amazing, so incredible, that it goes beyond what our minds can fully grasp. Isn't that wonderful? No matter how much we learn about God's love, there's always more to discover!
When we surrender our hearts to this amazing love, Paul says we can be "filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." That's like saying we can be so full of God's love and presence that it overflows from our lives to touch others.
So today, let's open our hearts wide to Christ. Let's ask Him to plant us firmly in His love. And let's be ready for God to amaze us with a love that's bigger and more wonderful than we could ever imagine. Because when we're filled with that kind of love, it changes everything – how we see ourselves, how we treat others, how we face challenges. It's the key to living with a truly surrendered heart.
Remember, no matter what you're going through, no matter how you feel about yourself, God's love for you is wider, longer, higher, and deeper than you can imagine. And that love is available to you right now. All you have to do is open your heart and let it in.