“…the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…” (Eph 1:18-21, NKJV)
So often I have heard these verses in prayer. So often I have prayed them myself: “Lord, may the eyes of my heart be enlightened that I may know the hope for which You have called me, that I may received the riches of Your glorious inheritance in Your people, and Your incomparably great power for us who believe…” Etc. Etc.
You see, recently God has been speaking into my heart about my tendency to go to my “0prayer closet” with an agenda. I am seeking His revelation on one matter or another, and when I don’t get it, I am frustrated. As of late, my prayer has been, “Lord, open the eyes of my heart that I may be open to Your agenda! That I may hear Your voice…” Etc. Etc.
But is this, even, the right prayer? What am I seeking here? Instead of asking God to follow my agenda, I am asking Him to show me what He wants to show me. But it is still all about me!
Is that what the relationship with God is to be like?
This is the question I began to ask myself yesterday morning as I sat in my “prayer closet” for my morning time with God. I had just finished pleading with Him to help me be in tune to His agenda, that I would receive the messages He wanted me to have for the day. And I had fully expected to hear His voice guiding me through a variety of decisions I have to make. But before letting me go on to my Bible, God placed it on my heart to read Eph. 1:18.
Obediently, I did, but my spirit still wouldn’t settle. The message was loud and clear: Read vs. 17 again.
I lifted my eyes to Eph. 1:17: “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.“ (Eph 1:17 NIV2)
I read it again… “so that you may know Him better.” Wait a minute! I seek God’s wisdom and revelation as a guide for my life! But that’s not the reason given in God’s Word for seeking His wisdom and revelation! We are to seek His wisdom and revelation in order that we may “know Him better!”
That puts a different spin on things, doesn’t it? It isn’t all about me, after all. It’s all about Him!
As I fought back the tears, I repented. I repented of wasting the time I spend with Him on selfish desires. I repented of putting my own agenda above the agenda of God, as given to us in His word. I repented of even wanting wisdom and revelation for selfish reasons. And I prayed, “Lord, may the eyes of my heart truly be enlightened today, that I may know You better!”
My worship time with God was very different that morning. God did, indeed, reveal His heart to me. He showed me how deeply and jealously He loves each and every one of us. He helped me to understand something about why bad things happen in life, all out of His heart of love.
Then He did something else: He used this newly-learned knowledge of Him to give divine revelation on not one or two, but three areas I had been seeking His guidance about!
Wait a minute, Lord! I wasn’t seeking You today for personal gain!
That’s when I realized that God’s wisdom and revelation are a product of knowing Him better!
Prayer: Lord, forgive us for making worship all about us. Help us to truly seek You in order that we may know You better and not for personal gain! In the precious name of Jesus, Amen
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.