“…Know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:19

Scripture reading: Ephesians 3:1-21

The apostle Paul was amazed at the depth of God’s love for him. He had persecuted the church and yet the Lord still loved him, redeemed him, and used him for His glory. The same was true for Peter. Do you think Peter understood something of the depth of the love of Christ when he was forgiven and restored? He was forgiven and restored even after denying ever knowing Jesus, three times over, with curses, before the rooster crowed. Or what about Thomas? What depth of love Christ used, dealing gently with doubting Thomas, restoring and bringing him into fellowship again!

Perhaps there are some who wonder, “Could God really love me? Would God really love me since He is omniscient and knows my thoughts? Does God really love me knowing my actions, knowing my apathy, knowing my sinfulness?”

The prayer of the apostle is that you and I would know the breadth, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love – that yes, it reaches down into the depth of depravity in your life and mine and redeems us and sets us in the heavenly realms with Christ, for as He Himself said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).

Having experienced an inkling of that vast love of God, we are to love Him above all else and our neighbors as ourselves as we look forward to an eternity of discovering the magnitude of God’s steadfast love!

Suggestions for prayer

Ask the Lord to give you a greater comprehension of the breadth, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love. Pray for increased love for Christ, and pray for His love to radiate out from your life into the lives of others.

Pastor Ted Gray is an emeritus minister of First United Reformed Church in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Before serving in Oak Lawn, Pastor Gray served Orthodox Presbyterian churches in Oregon and Florida, and Christian Reformed churches in Vermont and Illinois. He and his wife, Karen, reside in Crown Point, Indiana. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.