I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength. (1:18-19)
I have always that that was an interesting phrase, “the eyes of your heart.” There is an old song that says, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, I want to see you.” I can remember thinking that this was such a funny way to say things, but it comes straight from this text. Obviously, our hearts don’t have eyes, but what Paul is really saying is that “I want you to see with spiritual eyes what can’t be seen with physical ones.” There is a reality that is more real than what we can see, taste, hear or feel. Paul wants the Ephesians to see this unseen reality for three reasons.
One is so they can know the hope of His calling. Already in this chapter, he has said that they were chosen in Christ and predestined to know Him. Paul prays that their spiritual eyes might be enlightened so that they can truly know the one they have been called to. He told them in verse 14 of this same chapter that they had been “filled with the Holy Spirit who is a down payment of our inheritance.” In other words, until we are in the Father’s presence in heaven we have the Father living in us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we will always be with God and that He will always be with us, and He is the way that we experience the fullness and presence of God here on earth.
Paul also wanted them to have open spiritual eyes to see the wealth of His glorious inheritance. As His children, we are His inheritance and we have also been guaranteed to receive an inheritance in heaven. Innumerable riches are stored up in Heaven for those who know Him and walk with Him. Only eternity can reveal all that the Lord has for us as we fellowship with Him in glory. Finally, Paul wanted his readers to be able to see the immeasurable greatness of His power, as it is demonstrated in the lives of those who believe. The hope of His calling in the past, the wealth of an inheritance that has not yet come, and immeasurable power working inside us now are not the kinds of things you can see with physical eyes. Yet, they are more real than the very air that we breathe. I also pray that my heart and your heart can be “enlightened” so we can comprehend all of the amazing things that are ours in Christ.
