Live, Grow & Thrive!

“I'm asking God to give you a gift from the wealth of his glory. I pray that he would give you inner strength and power through his Spirit.  Then Christ will live in you through faith. I also pray that love may be the ground into which you sink your roots and on which you have your foundation.”     (Ephesians 3:16-17 – God’s Word ©)




Every time I read the Ephesians prayers at the beginning of chapters one and three, I am struck with the thought of how much Paul emphasizes the point that our Christian walk all comes together for us “through” Christ.  Much like I wrote in my last post, Christianity is all about our active interactions with Christ.  


When I study my Bible I tend to underline, circle, highlight and/or write additional words or thoughts that help me to better understand the point that I sense the writer of whatever book I am reading was trying to convey.  Piper followed a similar study process and I have enjoyed going back through her personal Bibles as it allows me to get a feeling of how the Lord was directing her when she studied particular verses.  It also helps me to feel close to her.  I’ve learned that someone’s Bible Study notes can be a very personal look into that student of the Word.


The section of Ephesians 3:17 in my well-used God’s Word © Bible that I’ve had since April 16, 2010 (Out of habit, I always write the date on the front page with any book I add to my personal library!), has a good amount of study notations and marks on it.  Today I had to stop and consider the adjectives that I had added next to where Paul wrote about Christ living in us through faith.  I emphasized the point sometime in the past by writing that “Christ will live and ‘GROW and THRIVE’ in you, through ‘AND BY OUR’ faith.”


What grabbed my attention this morning was the reality of what the great apostle was talking about.  I believe that he was trying to point out that Christ is freed to live and grow and thrive in you and me through our active actions of faith in His Word!  I think that this hit home with me today because it seems like almost every step I am taking in this new chapter in my life is to be one of faith.  


I suddenly understood this morning that in order to succeed and be all that God’s wants me to be for the rest of my life… that I have to keep going on the path of faith that Piper and I established in the first chapters of our lives together.  She may have left for more pleasant pastures (sort-of-speak) but the path of life that we established on this side of the veil must continue for me!


I also came to see that I have to re-learn how to open up and trust people around me again!  I realized that with all the surprise and at times vicious personal attacks that we received in our last journey together, that I had gone into “protect mode” when it came to Piper’s care and our stand of faith.  But with that job now complete… it is time to relax and lower the walls!  What do you think?  I guess it is just another area that I’m to be growing in faith over… so that I can free up Christ to continue to live and grow and thrive in, for and through me!


Ah… Isn’t life grand!  But I wouldn’t want it any other way… would you?


Have a great weekend.  I’m planning on going to another Men’s breakfast with many of the men from the church tomorrow and have another “Next Step” class to attend on Sunday morning.  Some times you just gotta run to keep up with God!  And speaking of running with God, say with me… “I am expecting to set Christ free to live and grow and thrive in me, by my active steps of faith today!”