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 glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, or ever and ever! Amen. (NIV)

When I was in 5th or 6th grade, God taught me a powerful lesson that summer at church camp. There had been a misunderstanding with my best friend, and I was upset. I was on my way to the outdoor chapel, but instead of taking the winding paved trail, I decided to huff my way up the slightly eroded gravel and dirt hill in the pitch-black darkness. As you can imagine, I stumbled my way up, unsure of where to put my feet and growing increasingly frustrated at the situation with my friend and my stubbornness to choose the hard way. And the moment I remember so clearly over 30 years later is reaching the top of that little hill, looking down, and realizing I had a flashlight in my hand the whole time. I climbed in the dark when I had access to the light.

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Chapter 3 of Paul’s letter outlines the plan God had for the Gentiles, who were not God’s chosen people, not of Jewish decent. Maybe they were questioning if they too would have access to the power of God that the Jews had. Paul tells them that because of the work of Christ they too are now heirs of Christ, part of the body. He ends Chapter 3 with a prayer for the new Gentile believers, calling them to live in to their new identity. It’s like Paul was telling them, “You’re holding a flashlight!! USE THE LIGHT!” as they stumbled in the dark.

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Likely, they couldn’t even imagine what they could accomplish with the power of the Holy Spirit. No more animal sacrifice, no more priests and curtains separating them from the Father. Like the Gentiles turned Christ followers, as it tells us in Ephesians 1:20, you too have the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead working inside you. You have access to the power of Christ, but are you allowing God to work in you? Are you holding a flashlight you aren’t turning on?

When I got to the top of the hill and laughed at myself for the stupidity of stumbling while carrying a light, I gazed into the night sky and marveled at God’s creation. I had been focused on myself and trying to work things out without calling upon the Creator of the universe for help. The one who set each star in the sky was available to come to my aid. In that moment, I was in awe of God’s ever-present help and his provision of the flashlight in the darkness of our lives, even if we forget to use it.

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Paul concludes his prayer in Chapter 3 with praise. We can praise God because he is sovereign, he equips us, he delights in us and calls us back to him when we go our own way up the mountain. God gently reminds us that the problems of this life, fights with friends in middle school, marriage struggles, financial insecurity, loneliness, and fear can all be overcome with his power working in us. We can praise God knowing for certain that “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Heavenly Father, we pray as our brother in the faith Paul prayed, to you who can do all things, so much more than our little minds can comprehend, help us yield to the great power that is within us as believers in Christ. God, help us to see the great blessing and help that is your Spirit counseling, comforting, and guiding our lives. In all things, God, let us give you the glory, the worship, the credit, the praise today and every day, for Christ has done the work to reconcile us to you for all eternity. May our children and their children and the generations to come do the same. Let it be so!