So, Paul goes back to the sentence he began in verse one. He has reminded us that the goal of God is to bring everything back together under Him, so there can be true unity and peace. As the Lord's Prayer says, 'Thy Kingdom come', so that is Paul's prayer. The only way that the goal of God can be fulfilled is through the work of believers: the Church carries the Good News of Jesus Christ to every person. Such is Paul's desire for this to be accomplished that he is on his knees before God the Father praying that He would strengthen the presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of the nascent Church. Do we pray this prayer for the Church worldwide? Do we pray this for Bearfield? Do we pray it for individual believers? We pray for those in mental or physical crisis, we pray for the stuff of life, but do we pray for Christ to strength the inner self, so that, whatever comes, it can be overcome? I woke up humming the tune of 'Abide with me' this morning. This was the hymn which Nurse Edith Cavell sung the night before she was executed by the Germans for aiding the British.
"Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me."