Prayer – Week of January 17, 2022

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17b-19

Did you pray for me when I was home sick? Can we pray for my mom? She cut her arm yesterday. Will you pray that I have a safe trip when I go visit my grandparents? It doesn’t take long for children to appreciate praying together. They aren’t afraid to ask for things that are important to them.  Paul, who wrote this letter to the Ephesians, also prayed for important things for all of God’s people.

Paul prayed that God’s people would have power. This power is spiritual strength given to us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit planted faith in our hearts and continuously works to strengthen that faith. We pray for power too. We ask God to bless our efforts as we teach our students about Jesus and what he’s done for us. We pray that no matter what our students may face, they trust in Jesus’ love and guidance. And we ask that God grant us that same strength as we carry out our mission in our schools, homes, and lives.

Paul also asked God to grant his people knowledge, specifically that we might “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:18). We need this enormous love of Christ. We were born in sin and continue to live in sin each day. We cling to the promise of our salvation through Jesus’ perfect life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection. We pray that our students, as they spread their arms out wide to show how big Jesus’ love is, hold onto that knowledge. We pray that we trust in God’s love and show that in every moment of each day.

Finally, Paul prayed for fullness. Imagine pouring a cup full of water and not only letting the water fill the cup but overflow. God pours out his love for us. He hears and answers every prayer in ways that are better than we can imagine. So let’s be bold and ask for great things for God’s kingdom. Let’s pray that God’s Word is spread throughout the world, that everyone will believe, and that God might use us to help spread the wonderful news of salvation.

My prayer for each of you, dear readers, is that God fill you with spiritual strength and knowledge to share Christ’s love with your students and family and all those around you. And I know that you’ll pray the same for me.

Prayer

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds, help us grasp the heights of your plans for us,
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time, that will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we’ll stand on your promises, and by faith we’ll walk as you walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till your Church is built, and the earth is filled with your glory. Amen.
CW21 633:3
CW Supplement 735:3

Early Childhood Ministry Educator’s (ECME) Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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