Is That Me?

Today Brad continued his series on prayer and preached about Ephesians 3:14-21:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 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 heartsthrough faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
      Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

When he gave the benediction, he used these verses. Last week he preached about Ephesians 1:15-23:

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every namethat is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. 

And when he prayed after the sermon, he used those verses and our church's name as in: "I have not stopped giving thanks for San Jose Christian Reformed Church, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give San Jose Christian Reformed Church the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better..."

Today, too, Brad referred to I Corinthians 13, and said the Jesus personified the love described here:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

As in: "Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind..." 

It reminded me of when my dad once said that we should try to personify that love, too, and be able to put our name in the place of the word "love." As in, "Mavis is patient, Mavis is kind. She does not envy, does not boast, is not proud. Mavis does not dishonor others, is not self seeking, she is not easily angered, she keeps no record of wrongs..."

Brad spoke of us being a reflection of Jesus' love. It gave me the image in my mind of these verses being like a mirror, and me wondering, "Is that me?"