“That you… may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

—Ephesians 3:18–19 (ESV)

Begin today by slowly reading Ephesians 3:14–21. This prayer reveals the deep desire of the Apostle Paul for the church. Paul’s greatest burden for these early believers was not their comfort, success, or ease, but that they have a profound experience of the love of Christ.

Paul wrote these words from a Roman prison cell—a place of great discomfort and hardship. Yet despite his circumstances, Paul’s joy and confidence in God was not diminished. His imprisonment did not cause him to question God’s love. Rather, Paul’s hardship motivated him to pray that his fellow believers would grow in their understanding of God’s love. Paul longed that his fellow believers would not merely know about God’s love but truly experience it.

At the center of this passage is verse 19, which contains a staggering promise: as we grow in our understanding of Christ’s love, we are filled with all the fullness of God. When we are rooted and grounded in God’s love, we are drawn into increasing fullness of relationship with him. And as we grasp more and more fully the nature of God’s love, Christlikeness begins to flow naturally from our lives. Our lives become increasingly “All About Him.”

Prayer and fasting create space for this kind of growth in Christ to occur. Setting aside focused time to pray allows us to spiritually connect with God. And fasting of various types can create a hunger that sharpens our awareness for how much we need to have a love for Christ as the ultimate priority in our lives.

Now turn your attention to Deuteronomy 6:4–5, a passage known as the Shema.

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

—Deuteronomy 6:4–5 (ESV)

The Shema was a daily call for God’s people to listen, to remember, and to love him wholeheartedly in a culture filled with competing gods. Jesus later identified this command as the greatest of all. A hunger for God is ultimately expressed through undivided love for him.

Idolatry happens when we allow anything, even good things, to take first place in our hearts. Relationships, success, comfort, entertainment, or approval can quietly become ultimate things. Scripture reminds us that Christ alone is meant to be preeminent. Jesus must be first, supreme, and unrivaled in our hearts. A true hunger for God is not satisfied with partial devotion. It longs for God to be first and above all else.

Prayer and fasting can help reveal what has subtly displaced God in our lives. It exposes misplaced affections and invites us to return to wholehearted devotion. How might the affections or priorities in your life be improperly balanced? Is there anything that you are placing before God? As you pray, ask God to show you where your love has become divided. Invite him to reorder your desires and help you love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Prayer:

“Lord, deepen my understanding of your love and fill me with all your fullness. Reveal anything in my life that has taken first place in my heart. I want to love you with all that I am. Give me the strength to place you above everything else and to live a life that is truly all about you.”

Daily Prayer Points:

Self-Reflection

• Ask God to reveal any relationships in your life that require repentance and reconciliation.

• Pray that God would cause in your heart a desire to worship him and continually praise him for who he is and what he has done in your life.

Our Congregation

• Pray for God to bring victory over the lies from the world and Satan.

• Pray for God to bring victory over immorality in our lives.

Families in our Congregation

• Pray that the marriages in our church would honor God and be Christ-focused.

Bethel Ministries

• Pray for Bethel’s Kid’s Ministries and staff members Melissa Anderson, Liz Cuozzo, Ellyn Krusza, and Kari Corbin. Pray that through their efforts—and also the hundreds of volunteers—that kids would grow in their knowledge and love of God.

• Pray for all the Bethel staff who serve faithfully behind the scenes, This includes areas of finance, technology, facilities, communications, and administrative support.

Ministry Partners 

• Pray for our ministry partners at New Life Centers in Chicago. Pray for Matt DeMateo as he leads the work in Little Village, Humboldt Park, Midway, Brighton Park, and Pilsen, reaching at-risk youth for Christ. 

• Pray for Twin Lakes Camp as they prepare for a busy summer ministry season. Pray for the children and families attending camp this summer to experience the Lord’s goodness in a special way.

• Pray for Bringing Children Hope as they care for children in vulnerable situations in the NWI region and globally. Pray for a new school being built in Liberia that will offer educational services to children, and vocational training to teens and adults.

Praises

• Praise God for his attributes and character.

• Praise our redeeming God for placing all our sin and the wrath we deserve on the crucified Christ so that we can be saved.

For Families:

Talk about what things sometimes take more of your attention than God. Help your kids understand that wanting God most means choosing him over distractions. Decide together on one or two things your family can set aside for a time so you can focus more on God—like spending extra time praying, reading the Bible, or talking about what he’s teaching you. Then pray together, asking God to give your family wisdom, strength, and a deeper love for him.