One of my favourite verses in the Bible is Ephesians 3:20: Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. It’s a verse that is very personal and dear to me. And one that I have recited and meditated over many times.
A Declaration of Who God Is.
Whilst this verse is part of a Paul’s prayer to the church in Ephesus, it is also a beautiful reminder of who God is. Our God is a God of abundance. When Paul prays, He is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, he is reminding the Ephesians, and us, that God is limitless.
The grace that He offers is endless. His love is unconditional. The mercy that He extends is extended to us afresh each day. His power and strength cannot be contained, overwhelmed, or matched. There is no person or power or entity on earth that would be able to outsmart or overpower God.
God of Wonders
We can often read the bible and relegate the miracles and transformations to the disciples and apostles. We view the miracles that Jesus and the disciples did with wonder. We marvel at the display of God’s power. Then we close our bibles and walk away as if the bible stories are just that, stories of another time. But they are not just stories of another time; they are testimonies of God’s incredible power. They are reminders of the power that God has and the greatest disservice we can do to ourselves is to disregard them as irrelevant or impossible for our time.
Social media and the news would make us believe that there is no room for God in our world. That the bible isn’t relevant, God isn’t real, and miracles don’t happen. The world will try and convince us that miracles are coincidences, exaggerations, or illusions. But don’t believe the lie. God is real, the bible is incredibly relevant today, and miracles are not just real, but they are still happening. If we ask the Holy Spirit to give us eyes to see His hand in the world around us, we will see God’s fingerprints and glory everywhere.
He is Still Able
Hebrews 13:8 tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” This means that His power has not weakened or disappeared. He has not lost any of His authority over sickness or sin. And if the power that rose Christ from the grace is in us (Romans 8:11), then that means that when we pray in Jesus’ name, He is still able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.
We can often find myself looking at seasons or situations and thinking, ’this is impossible!’ There is no solution, or resolution. Medical diagnoses, hurting loved ones, evil running rampant in the world. All these things can weigh us down and when we look at them through an earthly lens, the enemy will try to convince us that not even God could fix them. But He can. And He will. In His way and in His time. The second half of Ephesians 3:20 reminds is that it is the power at work within us, the Holy Spirit. It is not us; it is God. And it is not for our glory but for His, so He will resolve and restore and renew in a way that glorifies Him and points people to Jesus.
God is still able to heal. He is still able to restore. God remains the God of the miraculous. And nothing and no one can change that.
Prayer
Father God, today, may we look to You, the One who is able to do far more abundantly that all that we ask or think. May we remember Jesus, our resurrected King and Saviour. And may we walk closely with the Holy Spirit, confident and expectant that we will see You glorified through signs and wonders and miracles in our time. For Your glory and in Jesus’ name, amen.