Ewald Schmidt

“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.” Ephesians 1:15-16 (NIV) 

It is very likely that Paul had not yet met the Christians in Ephesus personally when he wrote this letter to them. But he had already become aware of the great work that God had done in their lives. The most important testimony about them that had reached Paul, was their love for our Lord, Jesus Christ. This is no small matter! Every single believer in this church would have had to make a life threatening-choice to follow Jesus. They would have had to face the rejection and even persecution of their own families and fellow citizens of the Roman Empire. To honour Jesus as Lord, and not the Roman Emperor was a crime punishable by death in the first century. Yet these believers were committed to follow Jesus, whatever the cost would be.

The second beautiful testimony that had reached Paul was the way these Christians loved all God’s people. An extraordinary work of the Spirit was needed to break people free from their set ways of thinking about other people. The Roman Empire had huge differences between people. In this society it mattered a great deal whether you were a man or a woman, a slave or free-born, and in the church, whether you were a Jew or a Greek (as seen in Galatians 3:28).  Through the work of the Spirit these differences no longer mattered. In Christ different groups of people became one. Paul called us the members of God’s household in Ephesians 2:19. Every Christian needs to obey Jesus’ command in John 13:34. We should love one another as he has loved us. The testimony of this early church in Ephesus was that they were living this commandment - they loved all God’s people. The love between Christians became a powerful testimony that Jesus really is Lord. That is why Paul could pray fervently for fellow brothers and sisters in Christ whom he had never met.

This is still the most important part of being in God’s Kingdom, and members of his household. We need to love God with all our heart, mind and soul. And each other as we love ourselves, or rather, as Jesus has loved us. This is a difficult commandment in a dangerous world. We need each other’s prayers, even if we have never met in person!

Prayer: Father, we thank you for every brother and sister who believes that Jesus Christ is Lord. Thank you for the love we already experience between believers, and let it grow through the work of the Holy Spirit. We pray for every believer to endure and triumph on their journey through life. We pray this in Jesus Name, Amen.