Wow! The letter to the Ephesians is quite different in tone and content from the Corinthian letters and the letter to the Galatian churches. Paul is laying out a more broad theological construct as opposed to responding to specific issues that have arisen in the churches.
A few things that caught my attention:
The mystery of his will - to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment (not yet) - "to bring all things in hearven and on earth together under one head, even Christ" (v9-10). This is speaking of things to come and God's eternal plans that are being revealed to us.
"Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's posession" (v 13-14). When we believed, we are given the Holy Spirit, who is a deposit of the good things that are to come. Obviously the Holy Spirit is much more than that, being the very God himself. It is an amazing thing that God has done by coming to live in our hearts and lives through the Holy Spirit! That does call for a round of "praise of his glory"! (v 14).
These are some powerful and amazing prayers that Paul prays for these believers:
1) God the Father would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. He has acknowledged that they have the Holy Spirit, but Paul is praying for more so that they may know God better, that the Spirit would guide them in how to live (wisdom) and show them more about God (revelation).
2) That the eyes of your heart may be enlightened (versus the eyes of our mind or our physical eyes- that we would know God from the central core of our being) that you may know a) the hope to which he has called you b) the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints c) incomparably great power for us who believe.
Again, this is some powerful stuff! God please open my spiritual eyes to see and know more of you and give me your Spirit to live and know you more!
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