“I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” — Ephesians 3:16-20 (The Message)

I’ve read this passage many times in many different translations and it always causes me to pause and ponder it deeper. In my mind I understand God’s love for me is huge! In my heart I know it’s more than I can ever hold in my very being! And yet I still struggle personalizing it. I limit the power of it in my life. I put a cap on it like a glass ceiling. I tell myself that I’m the exception to the rule and surely God isn’t able to move my mountain or make my wildest dream come true or simply pour out His abundant blessing in my life.

But He tells us right there to stretch for its farthest points, to test it, to seek out its depth, to reach to its heights. We are commanded to search for the farthest points of Christ’s love for us. Will we find the end of its reach? Interestingly Paul doesn’t answer that question. He doesn’t tell us the extend of God’s love, he simply tells us to live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

I am as guilty as the next person of creating limitations for God. I believe that through my own strength, intelligence, street smarts, wittiness, charm and social networking that I can move that big boulder from one side of the valley to the other (whereas God could move the mountain for me). I believe that I can do it better, more efficiently and probably have more fun in the process. But that isn’t living in fullness; that is living in burn out.

What’s even more powerful is that God’s love isn’t limited to one kind of expression. It’s deep and wide. It stretches long and high. It has extravagant dimensions. It’s not limited by our imaginations or desires or experiences. It’s creative and doesn’t look the same for everyone, but yet is perfect for each of us where we are in life.

So I ask you today, what are your wildest dreams that you would like God to expand to the next level? Where do you need Him to show up in your life? How have you experienced the beyond your reach love of Christ? When have you lived full in the fullness of His love? And how have you shared it with those around you?