Measuring the Unmeasurable

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19

I have read this passage so many times before, but never noticed that Paul uses measurements throughout his prayer of how we might understand God's love. It reminds me of many bedtime conversations with Daley..."mama, I love you more than all the stars, the sand on the sea, and all the toys in the house." The toys, being the greatest number to her. I try to top her by saying that I love her more than all the dogs on her bedspread, stripes on her pillow, and all the planets. It's fun to think of love being measurable. Apparently, we aren't the only ones because Paul thought this way as well. He prays for the saints to know and understand how wide, long, high and deep God's love is...but, why would he pray this when we can't actually measure it? The goal is this, that we might be "filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Maybe if we could see the enormity of God's love, we would trust that His love is big enough to fill our hearts, and our empty places. Maybe we would stop looking for substitutes. Maybe we could feel fully loved. For now, I'm going to assume that His love is higher, wider, longer and deeper than I can ever imagine, and knowing this love that surpasses knowledge is the greatest gift that I have ever been given.