Is Christ Everything for Us? - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

That the Christ may dwell, through faith, in your hearts, being rooted and founded in love.
Ephesians 3:17 JND

Is Christ Everything for Us?
The epistle to the Ephesians communicates what God has in mind for the Church of the living God, for all true believers from the day of Pentecost until the Rapture. The apostle described the wonderful plan and the amazing grace that God has bestowed on us. Praise His name! Paul’s prayer (vv. 14–21) closes in worship with a theme that will never end: “To Him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen.”

“The Christ” in the above verse refers to God’s Anointed One, of whom He has said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight” (2 Pet. 1:17). Peter was one of the three witnesses, together with John and his brother James (Mt. 17:1–8), who heard and saw this. After James was executed by Herod Agrippa, this wicked king planned to have Peter also killed (Acts 12:1–3). However, the Lord miraculously rescued him from this plot. Later, not long before his own death, Peter was led to write down his report as a witness (2 Pet. 1:12–18). John, the other witness, wrote much about the Lord Jesus, including about His death and resurrection. Today, we still have the writings of these two witnesses, Peter and John. Let us value their testimony about our Lord’s ministry. Paul’s prayer encourages such a commitment.

The Lord Jesus desires to dwell in our hearts, through faith, to be the very center. He is the Root from whom we draw everything in relation to Him and to God’s family. He is the very foundation on which His Church is built. All this is realized and enjoyed “in love,” even though we are surrounded by the hatred of the present evil age.

-- Alfred E. Bouter