Ephesians 1:16-17

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

-Ephesians 1:16-17

Paul continues to give thanks for his readers.  He lifts them up in prayer.  So, what does he pray for them?  Paul prays for "the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him".  Paul prays that they may know God more and better.  AMP puts it like this: "a spirit of wisdom and revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of him".  I recall reading a book about prayer and it was pointed out that in the midst of what the Christians at that time were going through (persecution, hardship, death, illness, etc), Paul didn't pray for a change in their circumstances but for them to know God more.  It was also pointed out that prayer for a change in circumstances isn't wrong, but it's interesting to note what Paul prayed for.  Perhaps it's something we lack or forget to pray for in the midst of all the things we lift up to God in prayer.

The other thing to note about this are the objects or persons involved in this verse.  Obviously, we know Paul is praying for his readers, but what about the other people?  Paul prays in request that God does what he is asking.  He doesn't just say "God", but he is refereed to as, "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory".  God the father is specifically referred to as "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ".  Why isn't he just our God?  There is this connection and a reference to him being a father, "the father of glory".  I don't really know why, but I think an inkling comes from looking at the end of the verse in AMP: "into the true knowledge of Him [for we know the Father through the Son]".  Who is "him" in the end of this verse?  I think the "him" at the end is referring to Jesus.  And so, since the square brackets refer to knowing the Father through the Son, I think Paul is asking that they know Jesus more in order to know God the Father more.  This is perhaps why there is a reference at the beginning about the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.  In any case, let us desire and draw near to God, to know him more.