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Share the Grace Awakening: Ephesians 1:15-22
“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” – Miles Kington-
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,” -Eph 1:17[/perfectpullquote]Several years ago as I was talking to a plumber who was working on our house, I mentioned that “I know your father.” I saw a restrained smirk on his face as he said “You do?” Apparently I didn’t know his father that well. His father had died a few years earlier and I was saying I knew his father in the present tense. I didn’t really have a relationship with his father.
When it comes to knowledge, we can know about people or can know people well enough to say we have a relationship — or a deep relationship. Similarly, in our spiritual life, we can do critical Bible study (sometimes called “study of the Bible”) where we read for knowledge from an academic point of view without any expectation that it will change our life. Or, in contrast, we can study the Bible as though we intend to know God and have a relationship with him — as the Apostles had a first hand relationship with Jesus.
Paul the Apostle taught a lot of theology, and in the first part of Ephesians chapter 1 he reminded the Ephesians of the riches they have in Christ. Then, in verse 16 he returns to a most important principle of applied theology — Let the Holy Spirit enlighten you.
That type of knowledge will change your life.
In his two prayers in this book (see also Eph 3:14-19), Paul is not praying for the righteous behavior of the Ephesians, or that they clean up their act (although that would be one outcome), nor is he simply relaying doctrine. He is praying that the Christians would know the love of Jesus and the riches that they have in Jesus. The word “knowledge” used in both of these prayers means “perfect and thorough knowledge”; it indicates deep experience rather than shallow exposure.
Paul’s stated intent was that the Ephesian Christians would grow. And, as a result, the Spirit of wisdom would enlighten their understanding. The deeper understanding produces excited anticipation of Jesus’ call to continue growing as saints, appreciation for the riches of their inheritance; and an awestruck appreciation for the greatness of God’s power. (v18 &19). Now that is life changing knowledge of our Lord.
The prayers are packed with joyful enthusiasm, and Paul can’t help but come back to praising Jesus. — “above every name that is named, not only in this age, but in the one to come.”
Keep praying that others will also have the marvelous “grace awakening” that God provides.
“Lord, open my eyes, that I might behold wondrous things out of your Law!” (Psalm 119:18).
Andy Nordquist
