Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
August 7, 2023
Ephesians 3:14-19
14 This is why I kneel before the Father. 15 Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. 16 I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. 17 I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, 18 I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. 19 I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God.
Good Morning; God strengthens us from the inside out!
Without a strong inner self, we are but a shell of a person. As I drink my iced coffee this morning, I notice my straw as I think about this passage. Its outer core is strong and requires strong pressure to bend or break it. Some straws are made of paper and quickly weaken, while others are made of acrylic and are quite strong. To fulfill its purpose, though, the interior is hollow. This allows us to pull liquid through it to enjoy our beverage. You can also use a straw in reverse and pour liquids through it. If we blow through our straw, we can make sounds or create bubbles in our drink.
Let’s compare this straw to ourselves. Sometimes we are filled with information, but like the straw, the knowledge either falls out the bottom of the straw or sits being churned around in the bottom of our container as the winds of trouble blow. During desperate times, we fill like society or life is sucking out our very souls through that straw. While we look strong on the outside but hollow on the inside.
God created us to learn and grow through absorbing words, feelings, and experiences. This growth occurs as our whole body processes the inputs, and the Holy Spirit uses this new information to transform us into God’s likeness. If only our brains are fed, we can become like a computer or a robot. We can function based on facts, but feelings and emotions are lost on us. If we act solely on our feelings and emotions without considering the facts, we can be hurt or damaged along the way.
We must grow as Christians from the inside out with a full palette of facts, feelings, and emotions. When all these parts are working together, we can be filled with the fullness of God. This is the life for which we were made: a life of joy, love, hope, and peace. Embrace the filling of our mind, heart, and soul.
Loving God, We thank you! Help us allow ourselves to be filled with everything you offer to us. Thank you! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: How am I creating a healthy bond with God?
Open yourself! Pastor Liz
Comments