“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.” (Ephesians 3:17b-19 NIV)

Last Christmas, Ade was four, and she was obsessed with watching the movie, The Grinch, over and over again, even after Christmas had long since come and gone.

The Grinch’s heart was changed as he witnessed how all the evil which he had committed against the people of Whoville, by stealing all their Christmas decorations and presents, was not enough to deter them from gathering together on Christmas morning to celebrate with joyful singing.

The thing that fascinated her about the Grinch was that his heart grew bigger, which turned him into a loving individual from the mean old Grinch that he had been. Over and over, she stated that his heart grew bigger, and he became nice.

Her absorption with this story gave me the opportunity to tell her another story: the old, old story of Jesus and His love — a love which has the power to grow our hearts bigger and turn each one of us into a more loving and kinder person, too. And you know what? She got it, even though she was only four! It excited her to think and know that God is able to live within us, help us, and continue to change us our whole life through, as we simply ask for His help through Jesus.

The Whos were a living witness to the power of love, which is exactly what God calls each of His children to be as well. When Christians allow God to continually grow their hearts bigger and bigger in love, others take note, an action which in God’s time has the power to bring them to know and embrace the old, old story of Jesus and His love for themselves.

In light of this, may each of us continue to yearn and pray for ourselves and others, that being rooted and established in love, we 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 we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Prayer: Father God, we thank You that in Christ, we are indeed new and better creations — wonderful creations able to tap into the power and fullness of Your love, through the Holy Spirit within us, thereby allowing us to be Your ministers of reconciliation to all those around us. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.

Copyright © 2021, by Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca .
Atlin, British Columbia, Canada

Reprinted from PresbyCan with author’s permission