Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. -Ephesians 3:20-21
This summer I have the privilege of leading the Women’s Ministry group Meet Me at the Well in a study on Bill Hybels’ book Too Busy Not to Pray. Monday evening, we were discussing chapter 3, God is Able. In it, Hybels theorizes that one reason we do not pray as we need to is that “Somewhere far beneath our surface layer of faith and trust, we don’t actually believe God has the ability to do anything about [our requests]” I think he’s right. I think there is often a disconnect between what we intellectually, by faith believe, and what our actions reveal we really believe.
As we were discussing this idea, God brought to mind, the above verse and I saw it in a fresh light. God is able to do more than we ask. That is pretty awesome in and of itself. He is also able to do more than we can imagine. What can you imagine? I know some of you out there have incredible imaginations. God is able to do more than that. Think about that for a minute and ponder God’s awesomeness. Have you given up praying for something? Maybe you need to reconsider in light of what God is able to do.
You know, I just realized that I used this verse earlier this spring. Maybe some of us need the reminder. Maybe we need to do what Hybels did. He spent time studying every passage in the Bible that “emphasizes God’s ability to accomplish anything he desires.” After that, Hybels writes that “I have branded those words into a block of wood that I keep where I can see it as I kneel to pray each day. I value the reminder because making requests of God is an exercise in futility if I don’t think he’s actually able to answer.”