Ephesians 1:15-16 (JDV)

Ephesians 1:15 This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the devotees,

Ephesians 1:16 I never stop giving thanks in behalf of¹ you as I remember you in my prayers.

prayer before the requestsPaul prepares to share the specific petitions he brings before God on behalf of the Ephesian believers, but before he ever mentions a single request, he pauses to affirm something deeper. His prayers are not mechanical recitations or impersonal obligations. When he remembers the Ephesians, gratitude rises in his heart. Their names do not appear on his list as problems to solve or burdens to manage. They appear as people he cherishes—people whose lives display the grace of God in ways that move him to thanksgiving.

This opening posture matters. Paul does not rush into intercession. He begins with appreciation. He remembers what God has already done among them, and that memory shapes the tone of his prayers. Gratitude becomes the soil in which his petitions grow. Before asking God to continue His work, Paul celebrates the evidence of that work already present in their lives.

Two qualities in particular stand out to Paul as unmistakable signs of God’s grace. The first is faith in the Lord Jesus. The Ephesians have entrusted themselves to Christ. Their faith is not merely intellectual assent or cultural affiliation; it is a living trust that has reoriented their lives. Paul sees in them the miracle of belief—the Spirit-given capacity to rest in Christ’s saving work and to follow Him with sincerity. This faith is itself a reason for thanksgiving, because it reveals God’s initiative in drawing them to Himself.

The second trait is love for all the saints. Their faith has not remained private or theoretical. It has taken visible form in their relationships. They care for one another, support one another, and treat one another as members of the same redeemed family. This love is not sentimental affection but the practical, sacrificial love that flows from the gospel. It is the fruit of the Spirit and the mark of genuine Christian maturity. Paul recognizes that such love does not arise naturally in human hearts; it is evidence that God is at work among them.

These two qualities—faith in Christ and love for fellow believers—form a pattern Paul often highlights in his letters. Together they reveal a community shaped by the gospel. Faith binds them to Christ; love binds them to one another. Where these traits appear, Paul knows that God is present and active, and so he gives thanks.

Only after acknowledging these signs of grace does Paul move on to his specific requests. His intercession flows from gratitude, not anxiety. He prays because he sees God’s work in them and longs for that work to deepen and flourish.

Lord, today as we bring our lists of prayer request to you, help us to pause and remember some good things that are going on in the lives of those we pray for, and give thanks.