Verse for today – “…These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come (Eph. 1:19-21).”

In today’s verses Paul is still praying! He WAS asking God to help Christians understand the power that is at work in them; but now, Paul seems to be DESCRIBING God’s power and Christ’s exalted position. It is a little bit challenging in these verses to tell when Paul stops praying and starts teaching, or worshiping. At any rate, the effect is the same; God is at work in our lives, and Christ’s qualifications to help us are unparalleled!

When I was in my twenties, I entered the home of a friend and mentor in my life. His name was Greg, and Greg had left everything to follow Christ and to become a pastor and church planter. He had several precious children and had recently quit his “regular” job, believing that God called him to be a “full-time” pastor and disciple-maker. I loved this friend’s warm smile, gentle demeanor, and welcoming family. But, as I entered Greg’s home on that day, the detail that first caught my eye was a large plaque on the wall displaying words that stopped me in my tracks. With bright colors and big bold print, the plaque read: “We willingly entrust our lives and the lives of our loved ones to Him! If He fails, we are done for; BUT HOW CAN HE FAIL!” Reading today’s verses, this is the clear and striking message. HE CANNOT FAIL! Christ has been exalted above every power and authority. Nothing is beyond HIS reach. Jesus Himself said, simply: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18).” Christian, you can trust Jesus Christ to lead your life! He is the ONLY ONE qualified to do so. He said: “… he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life (John 8:12).” Will you let Him lead your life? Will you let Him determine what will matter to you? How you will spend your time? Your money? Your emotion? These are valuable assets, given to you by God alone. Only He can properly direct their use.