Praying with Paul at our Grand Opening!

Praying with Paul at our Grand Opening!

            How do you pray for someone?  It seems like a reasonable question, one to which most of us respond daily.  Every week, here at Woodlake, we gather at our Wednesday night First Fruit service, and we pray individually for all the concerns that come in.  We pray for healing, hope and comfort in the midst of challenging times.  We offer our praise for the good things that God has sent our way.  All of that is good and right.

            I believe the Apostle Paul would do the same.  At the same time, this weekend, at our Grand Opening worship services, we are going to listen to another prayer that he offered.  He was praying for the Ephesian church (and us).  In this particular instance, he didn’t pray according to our typical routine.  Instead, he prayed that these early (and late) Christians would get it:

“I pray that you…may have power…to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…that you may be filled to the measure with the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

            Paul knew that if the people within the body of Christ could simply understand the overwhelming volume of God’s love for them, they (and we) will be changed and empowered.  To use Paul’s words, we will be; “filled to the measure with the fullness of God.”

            In this world, where so many struggle to survive on a meager ration of love, I hope you will join me, and more importantly, Paul, with a similar prayer for our church.  This weekend is our Grand Opening.  We have invited many to join us.  Some will be familiar with the faith, and many, not so much.  Our prayer, as we work with this Scripture, is that all who gather this weekend will get it, that we are loved by a God who consummately desires to fill us with his fullness.  Paul knew that when this love pierces the hardest of hearts, lives are changed. 

            In addition to reminding you of the importance of your prayers this weekend, I also want to remind you that we expect to be very crowded.  As you know, many invitations (mail and personal) have gone out.  We were nearly at capacity at our 9:17 and 11:00 services last weekend.  So, this weekend may be a great time to check out our Connect and 8:00 services.  There will be room for you and your presence there will not only enhance those services but will also offer a comfortable opportunity for our guests to join us at 9:17 and 11:00.  We encourage you to be a part of the great worship there!

            I am looking forward to seeing you this weekend!

In Christ,

Pastor Pete