In Christ: Know It, Live It - 19 (Our Greatest Prayer: To Know Him)

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." Ephesians 1:17

Prayer is not a magic activity. Prayer is not powerful nor answered simply BECAUSE we ask. Prayer is to be wise and insightful and ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD (1 John 5:14). WHAT we ask is very important in relation to our prayers being answered.

This glorious prayer of the Apostle Paul's in Ephesians 1:17-19 is FIRST of all a prayer that believers may KNOW GOD BETTER. It is NOT primarily that they will know more ABOUT God nor that they will know more about His BLESSINGS, but that they will know HIM AS THE BLESSER.

Note the first two things Paul says about this God:

• He is "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ." This phrase seems to note the SUBMISSION of the Son to the Father, doing the will of the Father in all things, especially our salvation. This phrase also seems to highlight the Father's role in planning our salvation and sending the Son to secure these spiritual blessings cataloged in 1:3-14.
• He is also, "the glorious Father." GLORIOUS means GREAT...VISIBLY, MAJESTICALLY GREAT. God's glory is His greatness shining forth for others to see. God is the Father whose greatness sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. His great and glorious LOVE CHOSE hell-bound sinners like you and me to be heaven-dwelling sons for all eternity. The Father is so great that ANYTHING we ask according to His will...will be done. The potential or raw material for what we ask does NOT need to be present for God to answer prayer. He is the God who CREATES out of NOTHING (see Romans 4:17). He is also the gracious Father who delights to answer, especially to glorify His name (Psalm 50:15).

The more we KNOW this God of our Lord Jesus Christ, this glorious Father...the greater, more full of faith, more consistent, and more ANSWERED will our prayers be. A great answer to pitiful prayer lives is a clearer, greater KNOWLEDGE of God.

When I really KNOW and BELIEVE that my Father is ready to answer, able to answer, wanting to answer...I will pray. So let us pray, pray, pray, pray, and...pray that He would open our eyes to KNOW HIM BETTER as the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, who sent Him to save us and the glorious Father, who gives good things to those who ask.