I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
- from Ephesians 3:16-17
 
Paul prays multiple times that God would give power to the church in Ephesus. But his perspective on that power is pretty unique.
 
When we pray for ourselves and our friends, a piece of our hearts comes to the surface. You can learn a lot about yourself by paying attention to what you ask God to do for you and what captures your attention and imagination.
 
Paul’s request for power reveals that he is convinced that his friends need God to intervene in order for them to become the people God wants them to become and live the blessed lives God wants them to believe. They need help. And so do we.
 
Paul prays for power – the power of God, the Spirit’s power – to be at work in their inner being, in the deepest parts of their souls. And he asks for that power so his friends would receive strength.
 
In a world full of trouble, heartache and exhausting challenges, we all have times when we could benefit from a boost of Spirit-given strength. But, for most of us, we would take that strength and use it to get stuff done. We would endure a hard situation or accomplish a difficult task. We would do great things for God.
 
But Paul’s prayer for power which leads to strength isn’t focused on doing and achieving. Instead, Paul wants his friends to have the rich and beautiful experience of intimacy with Jesus Christ.
 
Paul wants Jesus to take up residence in the hearts of his friends. Just as God pitched a tent with his people in the wilderness and built a home for himself on the Temple Mount, God wants to move into our hearts. He wants to be our nearest neighbor. He wants us to know and love him intimately.
 
In what ways have you used the strength God’s given you to pursue intimacy with Jesus? What disciplines have you picked up that have helped you? What additional steps is God inviting you to take today?