Passage Read: Ephesians 1-2
Meditation Verses: 1:15-19
Thought
Paul's response to hearing about people receiving the Gospel, whether he led them to Christ or someone else did, is not to doubt the sincerity of their faith, but to give thanks to God and to pray that they would grow in wisdom and understanding in their knowledge of Christ. He doesn't want them to stay where they are; he knows they need to grow in their understanding of Christ and His intent for their lives. He also knows that he can't be everywhere; he knows that there are many false teachers. So the least and best he can do is pray unceasingly for God to reveal more and more to them so that they might grow up in the truth of Christ. He daily bears the burden of the churches, and when one is led into sin, he feels it personally. He has a shepherd's heart, but not for one church--for all the churches, especially where he has worked. He doesn't want any individual to be lost; he doesn't want any church to be lost.
Application
This is a good lesson for me. When I hear of movements of Christ, I shouldn't immediately doubt the truth of the Gospel that was preached or the truth of the faith that is reported, but praise God for what He is doing and pray that every one of those new believers and new churches would continue growing in their knowledge of Christ. I should pray that the God who opened their eyes to the Gospel would also continue to open their eyes to all its implications for their lives. I should pray that they grow and mature into the full likeness of Jesus Christ. And I should continually pray that for myself!