COMPREHENDING THE MAGNITUDE

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Devotion 1 of 20

INTRODUCTION

      The role of understanding in the heavenly Kingdom is pivotal. Here is where we have fellowship with God. Here is the soil in which spiritual fruit is produced. I am quick to say this is not mere academic understanding, but "spiritual understanding" (Col 1:9). it does not come by mere study, but neither does it come independently of study. Familiarity with the Scriptures, meditation upon them, and a quest for the Lord to give us understanding are all involved in its appropriation.

      Long before the advent of Jesus, Jeremiah spoke for God on this matter. His words are still arresting, primarily because they contrast so sharply with contemporary concepts of religion. "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, THAT HE UNDERSTANDETH AND KNOWETH ME, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD" (Jer 9:23-24).

      In Christ Jesus, there is provision to optimize spiritual understanding. A religion that does not affect the understanding is a superstition, and has no relationship to Christ!

  The remarkable spread of mysterious religion indicates the criticality of the times. From Eastern mysticism and psychic readings, to mysterious prayer languages and being sent into an unconscious state [purportedly] by the Spirit, mystery is beginning to reign in the religious world. Men and women are being drawn to what they do not understand, thinking it represents an extraordinary benefit, and significant advance.

  In sharp contrast to this misrepresentation, the real Spirit informs us, "And we KNOW that the Son of God has come, and has given us UNDERSTANDING, in order that we might KNOW Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:20). Here the Spirit equates eternal life with "understanding"--a most remarkable circumstance in view of much of the religious of our time.

  Being without understanding brought a rebuke from the Lord Jesus, not praise (Matt 15:16; Mark 7:18). In the economy of grace, ignorance is always a liability, never a blessing!  It is "wisdom" that comes down from above, not mystery or unintelligible sensation (James 3:17). It is the wisdom of the world that is "sensual," or earthly.

  A mark of spiritual maturity is "understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Eph 5:17). When, therefore, we address the matter of understanding, we are near the center of the Kingdom, not the periphery. We will find that holy men carried a great burden in their hearts for the spiritual understanding of God's people. It is ever true, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hos 4:6).

PRAYER POINT: Father, In the name of Jesus, I ask for the understanding only You can give.

-- Tomorrow: PRAYING AT A HIGHER LEVEL --