But what I love most—and what the devil seriously hopes
you don’t notice—is that Paul didn’t just deliver all this
spiritual material like a class lecture, writing stray bits of
information on the board, stuff you might do well to remember
for the next big test coming up. No, right in the middle of Paul’s
dictation, notice how his prepared monologue (around verses
15 and 16) begins blending almost seamlessly into a prayer.
You think he’s just talking, and then just like that... he’s
praying. Praying that our eyes would be open to really, fully
see and recognize who we truly are. Praying that we would:
receive a “spirit of wisdom” from the Father (v. 17)
be enlightened to grasp the “hope of His calling”
(v. 18)
recognize the “riches of the glory of His
inheritance” (v. 18)
know the “surpassing greatness of His power”
toward us (v. 19)
realize we are “seated [with] Him... in heavenly
places” (v. 20)
and that even though we were “dead,” He has
given us life (2:5)