Most of us, in fun, have probably whispered a wish over a birthday candle or offered one in the form of a coin into a fountain–but, in our hearts we know it is only that, a wish. In Ephesians 1.15-23, Paul offers three prayer-wishes for the church at Ephesus—to know hope, spiritual riches, and power. Prayer-wishes are different; unlike bare wishes, prayer-wishes carry a different expectation as God’s desire and Jesus authority give them real wings. Prayer-wishes offer the real promise of hope amidst hopelessness, riches amidst poverty, and power amidst powerlessness.

We are very prone to love in theory only, instead of like Jesus in Word and Deed. The Bible teaches that holding together both the Word (proclamation of Jesus), and the Deed (demonstration), are critical—words without deeds are powerless, and deeds without words are meaningless. The permanent office of the Diaconate in the church reminds us that we must love in deed.