ODJ: Complete—Yet Under Construction

October 2, 2017 

READ: Ephesians 3:14-21 

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong (v.17).

As my mum and I entered the indoor prayer garden our church recently built, I suddenly felt the sweet peace and presence of the Holy Spirit. The room had plants, a paved walkway with Scriptures displayed, a small waterfall and a lit cross on the wall. In contrast to this peaceful, awe-inspiring sanctuary, just outside we could see contractors working on a different part of the building—with dust, tools, noisy machines and everything else one might expect to find at a construction site.

I realised then that the part of the building under construction and the prayer garden were both reflections of my own journey with Jesus—the one a picture of the work in progress I am today, the other an image of my future transformation. They brought to mind the apostle Paul’s prayer for Ephesian believers to grow to be “complete, with all the fullness of life and power” that come from God (Ephesians 3:19). Through His Spirit, God would provide the “glorious, unlimited resources” they needed, and Jesus would build His home in their hearts (v.16).

And this growth is available to all believers today as well. As we receive what is needed from the Holy Spirit (v.15), our “roots will grow down into God’s love” as we grow to understand and experience it more deeply (v.17). This love is deep enough to fill and strengthen any heart (v.18).

Although we’re still under construction, through Jesus’ work we are also already “complete through [our] union with Christ” (Colossians 2:10). Through the power of the Spirit, may we continue to grow in understanding and experiencing the infinite love of our personal God and living it out in every area of our lives.

—Estera Pirosca Escobar

365-day-plan: John 21:15-25