Friday 20th December
Read Ephesians 3:12-15
“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” (NIVUK)
Often we read this stunning prayer of intercession for the Ephesian church from v14 onwards without glancing back through Paul’s digression concerning his ministry and the Ephesian’s place in God’s cosmic plans (v2-13). It is our loss.
Paul has concluded his reflections on his ministry and their place in it with an ode to Jesus’ centrality in restoring all sorts of broken relationships. Because of Jesus we can ‘approach God with freedom and confidence’ (v12). There is no fear or doubt necessary because the relationship is secure.
Why then does Paul’s posture before God, when interceding for them, show such humility and obeisance? The traditional position for prayer was upright, but in some instances, when one knows how lowly one’s position is, people would kneel. This aligns well with Paul’s description of his ministry (v8) and his belief in how completely reliant on grace he was. He therefore kneeled.
What do we learn about prayer when on the one hand Paul knows his place before his Father so acutely that he can’t help but kneel and yet he is so secure in Jesus that he can approach God with ‘freedom and confidence’? In fact, what does this teach us about worship?
