When You Pray: A Study on Prayer From Kelly Minter, Jackie Hill Perry, Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Jada Edwards, and Kristi McLellandSample

A Canvas for God’s Glory

By Jada Edwards

My friend is an amazing artist. She sees every blank surface as an opportunity. Where there is a blank wall or a blank canvas, her mind instantly sees a place to bring to life what’s in her heart and mind. God sees us the same way. The individual believer and the church are canvases for God’s glory to be displayed. All of His abundance and love is to be shown through our lives. Keep this visual in mind as we study Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church.

"Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21 (CSB)

God’s glory is displayed in His church when we live like who we are in Christ.

How interesting for Paul to intentionally declare that God will be glorified throughout all generations, forever and ever. This part of Paul’s prayer echoes an earlier statement he made in his letter, when he said the reason for our eternity in heaven is to “. . . display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). Our salvation brings God glory and is a forever testimony of His love and grace.

Almost like an answer to the generations of hostility where God was not glorified, Paul prayed for His glory to be for all generations. Then he added forever and ever (v. 21). Not only will Jesus be glorified through the church here on earth, but He’ll be glorified through the church in eternity. All the division from the past is no match for the unity we’ll have for eternity. The church has a responsibility to live in harmony and call out sin. We have to be humble and passionately pursue holiness.

The church is missing so many opportunities to glorify Jesus today. We are hoarders of grace. We want all that God can give us, but we are selective in how we share it. Instead of unity, which requires understanding someone or something different from us, we’re comfortable with division. The church today has spent so much energy on non-critical doctrine that the watching world can’t possibly figure out what we believe or what’s important. I believe many of the tensions have been simmering beneath the surface for years. The mix of extended periods of isolation, the false courage found in digital communication, the intentional ignorance and insensitivity to the hurts of others, and our overestimated spiritual maturity have created a horrible exposure.

The doxology at the end of Paul’s prayer reminds us that when we pray, it is to a God who is abundant—abundant in His love, glory, grace, provision, power, and on and on. Time and again throughout his letters, Paul showed us the importance of intercessory prayer as a way we advocate for others before God and a way we advocate for the lavishness and love of God to show up through us and our churches. It’s time to take seriously the call to glorify Jesus through the church, and being an advocate in prayer is a critical way we do that. Remember that we serve a perfect God who gives perfect purpose to imperfect people—to the glory of Jesus Christ, forever, amen.

When You Pray Today

With Paul’s example in mind, think of a few prayers you should regularly be praying for:

Your church and its leaders

Other Christians

Non-Christians