Scripture: "That Christ may dwell in your heart by faith."—EPH. iii. 14-19.
The great privilege that separated Israel from other nations was this: they had God dwelling in their midst, His Home in the Holiest of all, in the tabernacle and the temple. The New Testament is the dispensation of the indwelling God in the heart of His people. As Christ said (John xiv. 21, 23), "If a man keep My words, he it is that loveth me; and My Father will love him, and I will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him"—what Paul calls "The riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Or, as he says of himself, "Christ liveth in me."
The Gospel—the dispensation of the indwelling Christ. How few Christians there are who believe or experience it! Come and let us listen to Paul's teaching as to the way into the experience of this crowning blessing of the Christian life.
1. "I bow my knees to the Father, that He would grant you." The blessing must come from the Father to the supplicant on the bended knee, for himself or for those for whom he labours. It is to be found in much prayer.
2. "That He would grant you according to the riches of His glory,"—something very special and Divine—"to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man," to separate from sin and the world, to yield to Christ as Lord and Master, and to live that life of love to Christ and keeping His commandments to which the promise has been given: "The Father and I will come to him, and make our abode with him."
3. "That Christ may dwell in your heart by faith." It is in the very nature of Christ, in His Divine omnipresence and love, to long for the heart to dwell in. As faith sees this and bows the knee, and pleads with God for this great blessing, it receives grace to believe that the prayer is answered; and in that faith accepts the wonderful gift, so long thirsted for—Christ dwelling in the heart by faith.
4. "That ye being rooted and grounded in love may be filled with all the fullness of God," as far as it is possible for man to experience it.
Child of God, feed on the words the Holy Spirit has given here. Meditate, with strong desire and childlike faith, on what the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit have undertaken to work in you. Hold fast the confident assurance that God will do abundantly above what we can ask or think.
Christ speaks to you: "According unto your faith be it unto you."
