Good Irony

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, 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. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

This is so ironic. First, Paul says that the Ephesians are already rooted and established in love. Then he prays that out of this love, they will know God's love. Then he concludes that it's beyond comprehension! Well if it's not possible to know it, why pray we will?

Because God's love is so great beyond our understanding that the only thing we can do is to grasp it a little at a time, getting a deeper understanding each time and approaching the full picture a little bit more. It's like going into the sea. In the open ocean, the bottom is so deep you can't touch it with your toes, and even if you were to scuba dive in, you can't reach the bottom.

So the only way to approach the depths and see its wonders is to start from the edge. Wade in from the beach. Paddle. Swim. Slowly but surely, you're approaching the deep ocean with its wonderful creatures and beautiful corals. You will never be able to reach the bottom, but at least you get a glimpse of its marvels. A little at a time, a little bit more each time.