For this reason I kneel before the Father

original post 7/31/08 - other blog

Those words were echoing in my head this morning as the Lord woke me up an HOUR before my alarm today… the nerve lol. Last night I was hoping I would be able to get myself out of bed a little early and hit up Panera before work, but I know that 6:30 am comes fast and that was probably not going to happen. Jesus had other plans for this morning.

I’m glad He woke me up.

These words kept calling me, wooing my name, calling me to get out of bed and not go back to sleep, call on the LORD while he is near… the LORD is near to all who call on Him… our God is waiting to be found…

And I was like wide awake was the crazy thing. (I am not a morning person.)

I went somewhere else instead of Panera and just sat in silence, allowing my soul to rest in God’s presence. I didn’t know why I was there but I didn’t need to… for this reason I kneel before the father… for what reason? I wondered.

What reason does this passage talk about? I’m learning to be okay with the mystery of God, the glory of God, the kabod, as its Hebrew derivative points to, the mystery of God, who is known and unknown all the same… Then, the more I thought about it and why I didn't need a reason, I remembered that my natural state is in communion with God. That is when I am my most true self. We were created and designed for God. For Him and by Him, for his pleasure. That's it. Made to worship. My soul was meant to commune with the most High God and for that reason, I kneel before the Father. What a privilege.

7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.

A friend of mine pointed out this verse to me last week and the more I’ve been pondering it the more I am grateful for this gift of grace and this gift that has made me a servant of the gospel.

It is grace I’m standing on.

7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. 8Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:7-21