I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Ephesians 1:18-21.
On the first day of the week, after the crucifixion, May Magdalene went to the tomb looking for Jesus. As she stood outside the tomb crying because she did not know where the body of Jesus was, Jesus appeared to her and told her to tell the disciples ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’ (John ch 20 v 17).
In Ephesians ch 1 Paul speaks of the power God exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and placed him above ‘all power and dominion’. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God in the heavenly realms.
However, the good news of the Easter story does not end with Christ being raised from the dead. In Ephesians ch 3 v 4-6 Paul goes on to tell us that ‘because of his great love for us, God, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions’ and ‘God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus’; ‘in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus’.
When we trust in Christ, when we accept God’s grace, God brings us from death to abundant life using the same power that he used to raise Jesus from the dead.
And the story doesn’t even stop there. Paul goes on to pray for the Ephesians ‘that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith’ Ephesians ch3 v 16-17.
When we are strengthened by God’s almighty power Christ lives in our hearts through faith. So, let’s remember that though we are weak and the church seems a bit fragmented at this present time, the indescribable and incomparable power of the cross, has raised us, his people, to life. Let us pray that this power, which rests on his people, will strengthen each of us so that Christ reigns supreme in our hearts and minds.
Julia Morrow