rooted and non-anxious (Eph.3:14-21)

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Psalms 97, 99, 100; 1 Samuel 16:1-13a; Ephesians 3:14-21; Matt.8:18-27


As we approach Pentecost, in these 10 days after the Ascension, our Scriptures reflect these themes. The Psalms strike a strong note of exaltation - the Lord is high over all the earth, over all the people... And the Scriptures speak of the Holy Spirit (though Matthew continues in sequence - with the mastery of Jesus over the wind and waves).

4 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now 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, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Paul makes one initial petition that is the foundation for the rest of the prayer, out of which all his other requests flow - all the other deep and broad and lofty remaining prayer requests:
(1) that they would be strengthened with power through the Father's Spirit within.

From this strengthening comes the knowledge and experience of Christ's presence with and within us, which secures us by this rootedness and establishing in his love, and empowered to begin to grasp this love which is beyond getting a handle on... and even, with all the saints, to be filled with the fullness of God.

For me, personally, the part of this prayer I come back to again and again, is that I be rooted and established in God's love. It is my insecurity, my shallowness, that undermines me again and again. Thus I grasp for complements, get blown around by criticisms, and blown away by failure.

There's a term in "family systems theory" called being a "non-anxious presence." It's what I long for and pray for - but it can only happen by being deeply rooted and firmly established in love, which will only happen through the strengthening of the Holy Spirit and the conscious awareness of the indwelling presence of the exalted Christ.