Praying Through Change - Day 13
Day 13 - Wednesday, November 1
Read Ephesians 3:14-21
Highlight
Have you ever experienced something so great that you made sure everyone you knew experienced the same thing? Maybe it was a band you found and you told everyone to listen to them. Or maybe a restaurant you tried and recommended for the next month to everyone. Whatever it was, it felt life changing. You had such passion for it, that you had to make sure that everyone knew about your experience.
That same passion - probably even more - is how Paul writes about the love of Christ. Scholars who have studied Paul’s writing mention how this prayer is riddled with “clauses that strain logic” and can “sense that Paul is laboring with his lexicon here, trying to express what he finds almost beyond expression” (Longman III & Garland; “The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians - Philemon”). For Paul, the love of Christ is personal and deeply real. He prays for the people in Ephesus - and future believers - to also experience this personal and experiential knowledge of the love Christ has for each of us.
Reflection & Prayer
For this reading plan we will be using a tool to guide our study of Scripture that’s called the S.O.A.P. Method. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. We recommend you use a journal with this method and write out your thoughts on each of these areas for each day of reading. It doesn’t have to be long-winded and you don’t need a fancy journal. But for anyone that has not journaled before, the benefit is that it often helps us focus and avoid distractions during prayer and Bible study.
S.O.A.P. Method
Scripture - Pick a verse or two that stood out to you and write it in your journal. Be looking for a “Holy Spirit Highlight.” What did you read and think “I needed to hear that” or felt like it was written just for you?
Observation - Now write some observations about the verse(s) or passage. What is this passage or verse saying? About God? About people? How is Jesus revealed in these verses?
Application - Now write a few sentences on how this passage applies to your life. Is there truth about God that you are to believe? A promise to receive? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something you need to do or stop doing in light of God’s truth?
Prayer - Now write out a prayer to God in response to this Scripture. This is a way to turn God’s Word to you back to Him. Be honest and express your heart to Him. God always listens and He delights in your prayers. (Psalm 34:15; Proverbs 15:8)
Read Ephesians 3:14-21
Highlight
Have you ever experienced something so great that you made sure everyone you knew experienced the same thing? Maybe it was a band you found and you told everyone to listen to them. Or maybe a restaurant you tried and recommended for the next month to everyone. Whatever it was, it felt life changing. You had such passion for it, that you had to make sure that everyone knew about your experience.
That same passion - probably even more - is how Paul writes about the love of Christ. Scholars who have studied Paul’s writing mention how this prayer is riddled with “clauses that strain logic” and can “sense that Paul is laboring with his lexicon here, trying to express what he finds almost beyond expression” (Longman III & Garland; “The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians - Philemon”). For Paul, the love of Christ is personal and deeply real. He prays for the people in Ephesus - and future believers - to also experience this personal and experiential knowledge of the love Christ has for each of us.
Reflection & Prayer
For this reading plan we will be using a tool to guide our study of Scripture that’s called the S.O.A.P. Method. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. We recommend you use a journal with this method and write out your thoughts on each of these areas for each day of reading. It doesn’t have to be long-winded and you don’t need a fancy journal. But for anyone that has not journaled before, the benefit is that it often helps us focus and avoid distractions during prayer and Bible study.
S.O.A.P. Method
Scripture - Pick a verse or two that stood out to you and write it in your journal. Be looking for a “Holy Spirit Highlight.” What did you read and think “I needed to hear that” or felt like it was written just for you?
Observation - Now write some observations about the verse(s) or passage. What is this passage or verse saying? About God? About people? How is Jesus revealed in these verses?
Application - Now write a few sentences on how this passage applies to your life. Is there truth about God that you are to believe? A promise to receive? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something you need to do or stop doing in light of God’s truth?
Prayer - Now write out a prayer to God in response to this Scripture. This is a way to turn God’s Word to you back to Him. Be honest and express your heart to Him. God always listens and He delights in your prayers. (Psalm 34:15; Proverbs 15:8)
Posted in Praying Through Change