Lenten Devotions

Monday, February 25

I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3: 16-19

How do you feel about paradox?

Yesterday, we encouraged you to think about “enough,” to be aware of what it is you truly need and to pray only for that. It is a good exercise, especially for a culture so embedded in excess and the constant craving for more.

But, today, today, you get to reach for the moon and the stars. Be bold. Ask for your heart to fill to overflowing.

We don’t always know how to pray for other people. We don’t want to tell God what to do. We don’t always know what God should do—or what anyone else should do, for that matter. So, how to we intercede for people in prayer? Paul is a great model for praying for others. He clearly relished praying for other people. I can feel him smiling, beaming with happiness as he asks God to rain down grace upon the people of Ephesus. It feels so good to love so well.

Pray for yourself. Pray for the people you love, and give it all you’ve got. Move onto the rest of the world. You know, you really do know, how much God longs to bless us all with good things.

An exercise

Make a list of five people and pray this prayer of Paul’s for them for this week. Just wait and see what happens. You might never know exactly how your prayers were answered, but, oh, my, think of the possibilities!

For more information or to continue the conversation, write to Katie at katherinekinnison@covenantpcusa.org.

Back to Devotions page