Love That Surpasses Knowledge
Scripture Reading — Ephesians 3:16-19
[May you] know this love that surpasses knowledge … [being] filled … [with] the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:19
Love is commonly considered an emotion—a feeling, an inclination of the heart.
Love involves knowing the person we love, and yet even that knowledge is not the end of love.
Paul reminds his readers of this basic truth when he prays that they may “know this love that surpasses knowledge.” Paul is talking here about the love of God, and he’s saying that it’s not enough to know about God without having love for God.
The standard of love that believers strive for is to “be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” That’s a high standard indeed!
God is, in every way, far beyond what our minds can comprehend or our hearts can contain. We will never achieve this total fullness!
But what a powerful prayer this is—and what a wonderful goal to guide us in living our life! To be continually growing in this “fullness of God” and his love is the delight of discipleship.
This is a wonderful prayer offered for us—but it’s also a prayer to offer on behalf of others. What a transformation of our relationships when an entire community of Christ’s disciples experiences together a growing fullness of God’s love.
It’s beyond our ability to imagine!
Lord, fill us to overflowing with your fullness so that we love you more and serve you better. Help us to keep offering this prayer for others, that we may all grow in you. Amen.
About the author — Peter Borgdorff
Dr. Peter Borgdorff has been a pastor and administrator in the Christian Reformed Church for 40 years, most recently serving as executive director till his retirement in 2006. He and his wife, Janet, have five children and 14 grandchildren.
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