Strengthened with Power

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power  through his Spirit in your inner being.

 Ephesians 3:16

When driving, my grandmother’s eyes barely peeked over the steering wheel. Her green armchair engulfed her while she created treasures with her crochet needles.

I thought of Granny as I read Paul’s love letter to the Ephesian believers. Paul’s prayerful words convey personal, insightful love. Paul reminds them of the privilege of coming boldly into God’s presence because of Christ (Ephesians 3:12). He also prays for a specific result of being in God’s presence—that they might be strengthened with power through God’s Spirit in their inner being (V.16).

Paul’s prayer reminded me of Granny’s inner strength, the empowerment of God’s Spirit in her inner being. She lost her mother at age twelve and later survived the hard times of America’s Great Depression. Granny also shivered one night with four children and her husband as they watched their house burn.

My grandmother’s worn Bible beside her overstuffed chair held the foundational truths that provided the inner strength Paul prayed for the Ephesian believers. I pray that God will also strengthen me with His power through His Holy Spirit in my inner being. And, because of that, I pray my own grandchildren will carry with them a similar image of a Granny with God’s inner strength.

Father, I thank You for my Godly heritage. Thank You for faithfully providing for my grandparents during the challenges in their lives. Thank You for doing the same for me. May my life be a living testimony of the inner strength provided by Your Holy Spirit. In the name of Your Son who made a way for me to enjoy Your blessings I pray, amen.

Linda Lesniewski