Dwelling in Our Hearts

Thanks for joining us for this daily encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional.

Today's reading was written by Amy Boucher-Pye, and it's titled Dwelling in Our Hearts. Sometimes the words of children can jolt us into a deeper understanding of God's truth. One evening when my daughter was young, I told her about one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith—that God, through His Son and Spirit, dwells in His children. As I tucked her into bed, I said that Jesus was with her and in her. He's in my tummy? she asked.

Well, you haven't swallowed Him, I replied, but He's right there with you. My daughter's literal translation of Jesus being in her tummy made me stop and consider how when I asked Jesus to be my Savior, He came and took residence within me. The apostle Paul referred to this mystery when he prayed that the Holy Spirit would strengthen the believers in Ephesus so that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith. With Jesus living within, they could grasp how deeply He loved them.

Fueled by His love, they would mature in their faith and love others with humility and gentleness while speaking the truth in love. Jesus dwelling inside His followers means that His love never leaves those who welcomed Him into their lives. His love that surpasses knowledge roots us to Him, helping us to understand how deeply He loves us.

Words written for children can say it best, Yes, Jesus loves me. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Ephesians chapter 3, verses 14 through 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 the glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through 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 the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout generations forever and ever. Amen.

Let's pray. Jesus, thank you for being so near to us that you saturate us like water in a sponge. Remind us of this when we feel alone or we're broken and without hope. Fill our hearts with your love and joy as we navigate this world that is so in need of you and make us your light to the dark that others may see you in us. Thank you, Jesus. It's in your name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.