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by Kevin Pauley
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. - Ephesians 3:14-21 (NASB)
Do you remember when your relationship was passionate and fascinating? Do you remember those long, late-night conversations and the lingering breakfasts when you hated to leave for work?
If someone were to take a picture of your relationship now would it look like “American Gothic”? What happened? Work, dirty dishes, kids…there are probably days when you feel like the only solution is to pull a “Thelma and Louise” and just take off!
But let me give you the same advice Christ gave on how to rekindle lost love:
- Revelation 2:4-5 I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.
How do we rekindle lost love? By going back to the beginning and recreating what attracted us at first in our minds. That can only be done by setting aside time for each other.
Why have devotions? Why take time on our knees?
1. So we can be assured of our name – of who we are (v.15)
2. To be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man (v.16)
3. So that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith (v.17)
4. So that we can be rooted and grounded in love (v.17)
5. So that we can fully comprehend Christ’s love (v.18-19a)
6. So that we can be filled with the fullness of the Godhead (v.19b)
7. To develop a relationship with “Him who is able” (v.20)
8. To better glorify God in church and in Jesus to all generations (v.21)
You can’t have the relationship if you don’t have time for the relationship. Look at your schedule. What do you have time for? TV, pizza, work, family, friends, video games, chores? How about a little time for Christ?
Kevin Pauley is a pastor and writer. He lives in Illinois with his wife, Lynn, their five children and two dogs. His internet address is Berea.
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