Ephesians, Chapter 3

​“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 this love that surpasses knowledge. That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19, NIV)

A Prayer for My Daughter

Oh God, may my child come to know, understand, and believe in the mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ. Give her Your unsearchable riches. Let her know the freedom and comfort that comes ...

when we approach Your throne. Strengthen her spirit with your power so that she may grasp how wide and long and high and deep is Your love. May she know Your love that surpasses all knowledge that she may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.

“Mommy, I dreamed about God and heaven!”

I sharply looked at my sweet girl who sat at the breakfast table dipping her scrambled egg in pesto.

She continued excitedly, “God told me that you and Daddy were going to heaven with me!”

She looked at me with smiling eyes and a happy expression. Uttering a silent prayer before I cautiously waded in, I continued washing the pile of dishes in the sink.

“Oh?” I asked, smiling, “what was your dream like?”

Little girl shoved hashbrown in her mouth. “I was scared,” she confessed, “I heard a loud rumble. That’s why I sang, ‘when I am afraid, I will trust in You.’” Turning to face me, she asked,  “Did you hear me?”

Even as she spoke, I heard in my mind’s ear the sweet refrains of her singing that woke me up at 6 a.m. this morning. I thanked God for the words of Scripture that flowed from my daughter’s mouth, often in song and in joy.

“Yes,” I smiled, “I did.”

​She blithely resumed eating, unaware of the theological ramifications underlying our conversation.

Although my sweet one’s mention of her dream surprised me, the topic of going to heaven had not. She had attended one of her first memorial services two weeks ago. A torrent of new questions and worries consumed her little mind as soon as we left. Just beginning to grasp and understand deeper spiritual truths and harder concepts like life and death, her mind blazed with new thoughts.

“What happened to Aunt Dolly’s husband?
“What is heaven?
"Where is heaven?
“Will I go to heaven?
“When will I go to heaven?
“Will you, Mommy and Daddy, go to heaven too?”

Her eyes were worried, tears trembled, threatening to fall, and her bottom lip quivered. We answered the questions as best as we knew how, but nothing comforted or calmed our sweet girl.

“But, when will I go to heaven?” she kept asking, each time more agitated.

By the time we pulled into our driveway, tears rolled unchecked down her face. A waterfall flowed freely from her eyes, when we walked through our front door, and heartbreaking sobs racked her small body. Helplessly, my husband and I protectively curled around our sweet girl as she sprawled over our arms and legs on the couch. We hugged, kissed, patted, held, and soothed to no avail. Dear Lord, I silently begged, please give us wisdom and discernment to know how to comfort her. My heart broke for my little girl’s grieving cries.
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“She might be hungry,” I suggested, “I’ll go get her a quick bite.”

Disengaging from the tangle of limbs, I quickly walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Pulling out a slice of cheese, a thought popped into my mind.

“Sweet pea,” I said with tender gentleness, returning to the couch, “You do know that Daddy and I will be in heaven with you, don’t you?” I sat down beside her and rubbed her back, “You won’t be there alone. We will be there with you too along with all your friends who love the Lord.”

Sweet girl immediately stopped sobbing and sat up. Looking at Daddy and I with swollen and serious eyes, she asked, “You will be with me?”

Daddy and I exchanged quick glances. “Yes, sweetheart,” we promised, “We will be in heaven with you.”

​She sat and pondered for a few moments. “Aunt Dolly will be there?” We nodded our heads. “Aunt Dolly’s husband?” Again, we answered yes. Suddenly, her countenance brightened. “Nana and Pawpaw and Mimi will be there too!” she exclaimed brightly. Then, with enthusiasm, she proceeded to list the names of all her friends and loved ones who would join her in heaven.

Many of us are like my sweet girl, afraid of being stripped away from the ones we love, or afraid we will be left alone and abandoned. But with Jesus, we are never alone, for He walks beside us every step we take. “Fear not, for I am with You,” appears many times throughout the Bible, as if He knew our constant need to be reminded of this promise.

​God’s love will never fail us, never leave us, nor ever forsake us. The love He holds for us is immeasurable. It is wider and longer then the farthest ocean and it is higher and deeper then any mountain or valley. His greatest gift to us is that of love, the death of His Son on the cross for our sins so that we may know the mystery revealed and be transformed by the overflowing, unending limitless, love of God.

A Prayer for Myself

Dear God,
Please help me to share the love of Christ with my family, friends, and loved ones. Give me boldness to reach the lost and change lives. Oh Lord, use me to transform the hearts, souls, and minds of my children, husband, and family members through the power of the Holy Spirit and Your mystery revealed.