On Knowledge of His Power

"...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.  Ephesians 1:17-18

" I know not whence a man is to draw bright hopes, or what is to deliver him from pessimism as his last word about himself and his fellows, except the ‘working of the strength of the might which He wrought in Christ.’ ‘We see not yet all things put under Him’-be it so, ‘but we see Jesus,’ and, looking to Him, hope is possible, reasonable, and imperative.

The same knowledge is our refuge from our own consciousness of weakness. Yes! I am all full of sin and corruption. Yes! I am ashamed of myself every day. Yes! I am too heavy to climb, and have no wings to fly, and am bound here by chains manifold. Yes! But we know the exceeding greatness of the power, and we triumph in Him....

That knowledge should shame us into contrition, when we think of such force at our disposal, and such poor results. That knowledge should widen our conceptions, enlarge our desires, breathe a brave confidence into our hopes, should teach us to expect great things of God, and to be intolerant of present attainments whilst anything remains unattained. And it should stimulate our vigorous effort, for no man will long seek to be better, if he is convinced that the effort is hopeless.

Learn to realise the exceeding greatness of the power that will clothe your weakness."

-Andrew MacLaren

Knowledge not of facts, but of His power is critical.

What is the nature of the brokenness in me that I can't take hold of this power consistently?  My emotions and events pull me off.  People discourage me.  The church discourages me. 

Even close friends have significant and seeming insurmountable differences that block me from fully relating to them, fully loving them.

Do we have to agree with someone on "the big" things to deeply, authentically love them? Be close friends with them? Let them deeply into our world? Invest in them? Inside the church? Outside?

Honestly, those outside the church are easier for me to love much of the time.  Or the misfits within. 

This entry was inspired by the apostle Paul and Andrew MacLaren's definition of "knowledge," but in the end, my question is more about authentic love.  Love comes from God, right?