“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” – EPHESIANS 3:14‭-‬19 NASB

What is the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ? It surpasses knowledge. It completely wraps us up and covers us. It is deeper than the deepest oceans, higher than the farthest stars; more all-encompassing than the entire universe. It is warmer than the thickest fur coat, and more soothing than the softest silk or flannel on our skin. His Love covers every person, every situation, and there’s still enough left over to fill our world.

Why is it so difficult to believe?

Our own flaws keep us from the Love He offers, as we try to compare the incomparable to the imperfect, and we view Him through our distorted lense of life. If our human fathers were capable of displaying God’s qualities of impartiality and unconditional love, we would understand God! Our earthly fathers are bound by the same sinful spirits as we are, subject to that stinkin’ thinkin’ the Enemy introduced into the Garden; our free will prevents us from ever being perfect. However, we have been given an amazing example in Jesus Christ, and despite their flaws, many earthly fathers strive to provide an example of the love and forgiveness of our Father. I was blessed to have a father who loved God and who strove to be a godly man, in spite of his imperfect human nature.

This Father’s Day, maybe we can focus on the qualities that we see in our dad’s that perhaps reflect some of that love from the Lord. As humans, we can’t even comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth ….. which surpasses knowledge, the Love of Jesus Christ, but we can express our human love as appropriately and completely as we do understand it. May all of the fathers be strengthened with that power through Christ’s Spirit in their inner man, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith.

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” – EPHESIANS 3:20-‬21 NASB