Charles Stanley (January-02-2025) Daily Devotional: To See the Glory of God’s Purposes.
The light of Christ provides hope, love, and power to overcome any darkness.
Ephesians 1:18-19 - I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
If you’ve ever stumbled through your house in the dark, then you know that even perfect vision is useless without light. But flip a switch, and everything suddenly becomes much clearer.
That’s what Paul’s getting at when he prays “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Eph. 1:18). It’s not a prayer for some kind of spiritual X-ray vision; rather, he’s asking that God enable the Ephesians to view everything they experience in the best light of all—His light.
What did they need to see? The scope and richness of salvation in Christ. First, it’s grounded in hope, something the Ephesians didn’t have before their encounter with Jesus. They’d been outside God’s kingdom, but as a result of His calling, they became His people. That reality transformed not only their future but also their present.
Now, as God’s treasured people, they were no longer to rely on their own strength. With the King and kingdom resources at hand, believers had “boundless” divine power working for, in, and through them (v. 19). It’s also a good reminder for us. Despite the world’s apparent darkness, we can live in the light, hope, and power of God’s good news. So let’s confidently join Paul in praying for a perspective illuminated by the gospel.
