Prayer that God enable the Ephesians to comprehend the love of Christ
Doxology
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
It is significant that Paul again calls the Ephesians’ attention to the personal experience they have had with God’s power. That great power brought them to faith and made them members of Christ’s church. It is like the power God used to raise Christ from the dead (1:19,20).
On the basis of the mighty deeds God has already done, Paul can confidently call upon him as one “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” With God nothing is impossible. Hence we can never ask too much of him. Since we have such a God, well might we also join Paul’s doxology and say, “To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!” Paul punctuates his prayer with an “amen.” That is to say: “This is most certainly true. This is going to happen.”
We noted that verses 14 to 21 are set as an intercessory prayer; Paul prayed for the Ephesians. But Christians have for centuries prayed this also for themselves. Let us change it to first person and see how fitting and appropriate it becomes as a prayer for each of us to pray individually.
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen me with power through his Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that, being rooted and established in love, I may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within me, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.