His Whole Family
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” - Eph 3:14-15
This passage reminds us of the existence of God’s family and presents it as a leading thought before Paul declares his amazing prayer, asking that God would lavish love, faith, confidence, fulness, understanding, power, strength and foundation on the Ephesian christians.
It appeals to me that these are the same qualities that should be fostered in a human family. It also makes sense, given that we are made in the image of God, true humanness involves doing such things. We are made to do them because our Father does them, albeit in smaller measure. The human family is to be a place where these same acts of service are performed, as a vessel for God’s work to be poured out.