In your presence is unbounded joy.

 

Friday, January 5, 2024


Psalms 15; 16

Isaiah 66:10-16

Ephesians 3:14-21


In your presence is unbounded joy.


I think it is well-established that of all the New Testament authors, John is the best at the art of the written word. But sometimes Paul pulls out of his analytical mindset, looks towards the glory of Jesus, and comes out with some bangers of his own. This part of Ephesians is one of those places.


Paul bows his knees towards the Father (pater) in heaven, from whom every family (patria) in heaven and on earth takes its name. The rest of the chapter follows with a deeply Trinitarian blessing: from the family of the Godhead, to the family of us believers.


God the Father is rich with glory. These riches He gives to us through the Holy Spirit in the form of spiritual strength. And so we have the glory of God’s strength. But there is more: this leads to the dwelling of Christ in our hearts by our faith. Glory; strength; faith.


This is not a one-off operation, either. Through this triple blessing of God, we are now experiencing the ongoing process of being rooted and grounded in love.


Paul gets a bit excited and begins to trip over himself here, but in a good way. He wants us to know fully the breadth and length and height and depth of this love, even though it is beyond all knowing! To be filled with all the fullness of God and His love, through the glory, strength and faith that the family of God gives to our family of believers is Paul’s desire and our ultimate aim.


Earlier in this passage we looked at how we non-Jews have been brought into the promise given to the Jews; the family of people who trust in God has been expanded to include us. And this is so that the family of believers can be brought into the family of the Godhead. This is a great and glorious thing for all of us, because we experience a fullness of God that is eternal and never-ending. In God’s presence is unbounded joy.

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