I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:16-21) 
These verses caught my eye this morning in my quiet time. Paul prayed. He prayed specifically for the believers at the church in Ephesus. And there were things he wanted believers to have and know. He wanted them to have several things, but one was power. The power of God. And he wanted them to know love. The love of God.
First Paul prayed for the believers to be strengthened with power through God’s Spirit. Strengthened on the inside. In their inner being. He wanted them strong for a reason. That reason? So that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith. Strengthened so that Jesus could dwell in their hearts through their faith in Him. Prayer for them to have the strength to have that faith in Christ. And that Christ would dwell in their hearts. In a lost and dying world, both then and now, it is not easy to walk in faith. There is a lot of opposition to faith, to a Christian world view, to living in the world, but not being of it.
What happens when something or someone dwells in your hearts? You draw closer to that person. You identify with that person. You typically have that person on your mind in a good kind of way.
So then Paul prayed for the believers to be rooted and established in love. Once again, having power to grasp the full measure (wide, long, high and deep) of the love of Christ. And to know this love beyond just knowledge of God. To be filled all they way up with the fullness of God. Understanding God’s love, not from head knowledge, but a knowing in their whole being. And not only understanding, but being full of the love of God.
They say love changes a person. And the love relationship is often the catalyst for dramatic changes in people’s lives. (Now, I am not just talking about love between a husband and wife, but rather, love in friendship, called agape love.) Paul is praying not only for believers to be rooted and established, but to really know God’s love in every fiber of their being and to be full of God’s love. Literally love flowing in and out of the believer’s life.
This love translates into power. Power to change. Power to love ourselves and others. Power to accept ourselves and others. Power to live freely. Power to live abundantly.
Finally, Paul goes on to praise and acknowledge his own trust in God.
To Him. To God.
Who is able.
Able to do what? Able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine.
According to (here it is again – you guessed it) His power. And that power is at work within us – within believers.
To Him – God – be glory. God’s glory both in the church here on earth (that is, in you and in me) and in Christ Jesus.
For now. And for always. Forever. And ever. So be it.
Amen.