My Favorite Oxymoron

You’re familiar with oxymorons: two contradictory words placed together.

  • open secret
  • clearly confused
  • act naturally
  • jumbo shrimp
  • pretty ugly
  • minor crisis

I found a wonderful oxymoron in the Book of Ephesians:

“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” (Eph. 3:17-19). 

If God’s love is beyond my knowledge, how can I know it?

Yet if I could fully comprehend God’s love—the depth of it—how deep and wonderful would it really be?

My prayer:

“Lord, my love has limits, but Yours does not. I know You love me, but help me to know that on an ever deeper level. I want to know more than the fact You love me; I want to walk in that love. After all, the Greek word Paul used means to know something by experience. And that’s how I want to know Your love. I want to experience it … be immersed in it … be consumed by it.

“Thank You for loving me in spite of my rebellious ways. You continually bring me back to You. You continually bless my life with good things, far beyond anything I deserve. No, let me correct that.  ‘Far beyond’ implies there are some things I do deserve. The truth is I don’t deserve anything—and yet You don’t just allow me to exist; you bless me abundantly.

“Would I still love You if You took all these things from me? Father, it is easy to gauge my happiness on the things You do for me, but I want my joy to be centered in You, not just in what You provide. Thank You for Your presence, Your joy, and Your very life in me.

“You pour out on me a love so deep it is beyond my comprehension. I dive into Your love and never touch bottom.”

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).

Share this post with someone who needs a reminder of God’s incredible love.


Editor's Picks

Editor's Picks