What is God’s love Like?

Oct 26

Have you ever claimed to know something you couldn't actually do? I'll admit it—I'm fascinated with airplanes and air traffic control. My YouTube feed is filled with air traffic control conversations. I know all the terms—ATIS, angle of attack, wind shear, and squawk. I can talk about flying with some confidence. But here's the truth: I cannot fly an airplane. I know about flying, but I can't fly.

This distinction reveals something profound about our spiritual lives: there's an enormous difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God.

The Prayer for Something More

In our series "Infinitely More," we've been exploring eight verses from the book of Ephesians where Paul prays for believers to experience God's power in their lives. Many of us are here because life feels dull, our faith feels dull, and we're thinking there must be something more.

In Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul shares how we can experience God's power—described as "exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or imagine"—in our everyday lives.

We've already discovered that this journey begins with acknowledging we're not in control and surrendering to Jesus. We've also learned we can trust God because He has "glorious, unlimited resources." Now, Paul is landing the plane with a crucial truth: getting there doesn't require that we learn more stuff; it's about experiencing what we already know.

Knowledge vs. Experience

Many of us could pass a quick test ABOUT God. God is love, God is all-powerful, God forgives sins, Jesus died on the cross. We've got that. But how is your life different because of it?

Sure, we could all watch the Chiefs and not know how to play football, we could have a marriage license but never actually be in love, we could own a grill but never actually cook a steak.

And this is true as well: You could know ABOUT Jesus and never truly know Him.

The Dimensions of God's Love

If you're new to church or still figuring out what you believe, stay with me. What Paul is describing isn't some mystical, religious experience that only super-spiritual people can understand. He's describing something that every single person desperately needs: to be loved completely, without condition, without limit, without end.

In Ephesians 3:18, Paul prays: "And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is."

These dimensions would have reminded the original readers of the story of Job. After losing everything, Job's friend Zophar uses similar language in Job 11:7-9: "Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty? Such knowledge is higher than the heavens—and who are you? It is deeper than the underworld—what do you know? It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea."

While Zophar meant these words to describe Job's DISTANCE from God, both Job and Paul saw in them God's NEARNESS.

How Wide is God's Love?

God's love is wide. It's wide enough that everyone is included. God's love reaches across every barrier and includes everyone—every ethnicity, every background, every political party, every past, every failure, every single person.

How Long is God's Love?

God's love is long. It's so long that nothing in your past disqualifies you. God's love has no expiration date. It extends throughout all time: past, present, and future.

How High is God's Love?

God's love is high. It's so high that no matter how far you run, you simply need to look up to see it. He doesn't just tolerate you, he's waiting for you!

How Deep is God's Love?

God's love is deep. It's deep enough that he can meet you in your darkest moments. God's love reaches to the depths of your shame, pain, and brokenness. God doesn't love the version of you that you portray to the world—He loves the real you.

And best of all, this God who loves like this—God is here.

Knowing the Unknowable

Paul continues his prayer in Ephesians 3:19: "May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully."

Paul creates a deliberate oxymoron, a contradiction that reveals truth beyond logic. He prays for us to know (ginosko) something that surpasses knowledge (gnosin).

I can see your thought bubble: that's not possible. Oh, but it is. Paul is praying for us that our personal experience with Jesus would be beyond comprehension. This has happened to you before:

When you held your baby for the very first time. When that sunset took your breath away. When you looked into the eyes of the one that would be your forever partner.

You get this. It's the difference between the notes on a page and the music that moves you. It's the difference between the recipe in a cookbook and the meal around a table.

It's like eating a hot dog. Yes, I can do it at home. Yes, I can get a Chicago-style dog at Wrigley, but nothing compares to a Nathan's hot dog on the streets of New York City.

It's one thing to know about something and it's something completely different, and better, to truly know something. Or in this case, someone.

The Result: Complete in Christ

Because knowing Jesus changes everything. Paul concludes in Ephesians 3:19: "May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."

When you give Jesus control and allow Him to make His home in your heart, Paul says you WILL experience this love and be made complete.

Putting It Into Practice

Complete in Christ means your stresses and worries are no longer yours to live alone. The things that were once a big deal are no longer. Chaos turns to peace. He begins to set your sights on Him.

Instead of being tossed by every wave of the 24-hour news cycle, you are anchored to the hope of Christ.
Instead of white-knuckling through life, you are resting in God's love.
Instead of frantically spinning plates, you trust the one who holds it all together.

This is infinitely more. God isn't asking you to figure Him out. He's inviting you to know Him.

Not through more information, but through surrender. Not through perfect understanding, but through actual experience. Not by getting your life together first, but by letting Him make His home in the mess you're in right now.

The love of Jesus is wider than your past, longer than your failures, higher than your running, deeper than your shame. And the God who loves like this? He's here. Not waiting for you to clean up. Not demanding you understand it all first. Just here waiting for you to say yes to Him—to TRULY know Him and the infinitely more.

Ryan Schreckenghaust

My name is Ryan Schreckenghaust and I’m the Lead Pastor at The Summit Church. Lee’s Summit is my hometown and I love connecting with people to tell them about who Jesus is.

I am a graduate of William Jewell College and, after changing my major countless times, felt God’s nudge to invest my life in the work of the local church. I graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Psychology. I then attended Rockbridge Seminary where I earned the Master of Ministry Leadership degree.

I was licensed to the Gospel Ministry in 2003, ordained as a Pastor/Elder in 2013, licensed as Local Church Pastor in the United Methodist Church in 2019, and completed the United Methodist Course of Study in 2021.

I have worked at several churches over the last 20 years where I served in roles such as Student Ministry Pastor, Creative Arts Pastor, and Executive Pastor. I’ve also worked professionally as a social media strategist in the marketing department at a Fortune 500 company.

I’ve been married to my wife Rebekah for more than 20 years. Rebekah is a school counselor at a local middle school. Together we have two boys, Jackson and Camden, and a Weimaraner named Poppy. I love time with my family, reading and watching my favorite sports teams!