FollowLast Sunday, we looked at the first part of Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:16-17, where he prays:
I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, SO THAT you may KNOW Him BETTER. (NIV)
Paul’s point is that there is more!
Do you want more? Any relationship that doesn’t grow over time will stagnate and fade away. The relationship that started with connection and joy will stagnate and fade away. Passion becomes duty. This can happen with our relationship with our Father. This is why Paul says there’s more!
Was Paul’s prayer for these friends answered? Did they ever experience more? Yes, they did! However, as we all know, relationships are fragile! Over time, passion turned to duty. Twenty-five years after Paul wrote this letter, Jesus told the Ephesians the following:
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: …. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:1-5)
How did this happen? We don’t know. We only know that it happened. They lost sight that there was more. How do we pursue more? This question has many layers. I offer the following to help you move forward in this relationship.
First, grab a friend and pray together. Ask our Father to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better. Don’t stop! Keep asking. Our Father is deeply interested in those who are serious about what they want and not simply casual in their approach.
Second, sit down with several people you respect and work through the following questions. These people can be those from your small group, a mentor, or a close friend you’ve known for years. Here are the questions:
- How has your relationship with God—how you experience Him—changed over the years?
- What means has He used to grow this relationship?
- Are there specific experiences you can share and lessons you learned?
- What advice would you give to those who are early in their journey?
This journey must be a priority! As I said last Sunday, let’s walk this out together!
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