Ephesians 3

The fullness of the God of the universe. Think about what that means for a second. How vast is God? How deep and high is God? Who is He? What is He? He is infinitely wide, infinitely big, infinitely deep, infinitely wise in infinite dimensioned. He has no limits, no boundaries, no lack in the slightest. He is absolute substance, so vast that anything you can even remotely imagine is merely contained in Him.

And here is Paul praying for Christ to dwell in our hearts through faith. Why? So that we would know the infinitely wide, deep, thick, real love of God, a love so strong and multi-dimensioned no words can even come close to describing it in any manner of sufficiency. Why? “That you may be filled with the fullness of God.”

Cue video of a massive nuclear explosion visible from space. Talk about a big concept.

Here’s another way to read this passage (or more specifically, the use of the semicolon in this passage). I don’t know if this is true to the original Greek, but it’s at least an interesting consideration. V19: “[that you] may know the love of Christ which passes knowledge - i.e. that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Here’s the breakdown: In the first interpretation, knowing the full extent of the love of God brings you into a realm where you, yes you, are filled with God's fullness (is that even possible? I guess He makes the impossible possible... hence verse 20! haha). In the second one, knowing the full extent of the love of God IS being filled with His fullness. Either way, knowing His love is pretty darn important.

I propose to you that this is the ‘mystery’ that Paul talked about earlier in the chapter. The fullness of God. The love of God. The substance of God. Paul calls it “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (verse 8). It was hidden (v9), so that NOW the wisdom of God may be made known to every demon in hell. (Well, demons aren't in hell yet, but you get the point.)

How ironic is it that what Paul calls unsearchable (v8), he then prays for us to search out only a few verses later? Is he daft? Or being sarcastic? Or perhaps… he’s being completely serious. Consider this: If one day, when you were a kid, your dad called you over, moved a bookcase you never knew could be moved and led you down a secret passageway, under the house you’ve grown up in all along, to his secret underground office, you’d know immediately that this was an important place you were in – Hiddenness reveals the importance of that which was hidden. Perhaps it was so ridiculously important for us to know the mystery of God that God absolutely had to hide it… until we were ready.

And now we are ready, because we have Jesus (Eph 1 and 2). Go on, search Him out. The ‘No Entry’ tape has been taken away. I know, I know… the tape’s been there for so long that you look at it and you think you still can’t go in… but you can now. Really. In fact, He wants you to, and your soul compels you to too. Search out the unfathomable depths of God, that they may become fathomable to you. Engage with Him, know Him, wrestle with Him, love Him… because you can do no wrong that hasn’t already been paid for and forgiven.

What then of the things that distract us? What about the ‘sin that so easily ensnares’ (I forget where that’s from), the battle not against flesh and blood but principalities and powers? Check out verses 8-10 (I love this!) – we are to know the mystery of God, so that all of the demonic realm would be defeated. In other words, the mystery of God isn’t just our mission – it’s also our solution to every distraction and temptation! So forget the things you’ve left behind. Forget yesterday’s mistake, forget your past sin (which, if you think about it, is every sin, unless you’re in the midst of robbing a bank or something), and press on to know Him. And when you find yourself dealing with a problem, don't worry about solving it first. Just turn to God, seek Him out, enjoy Him… and Satan will be squished.