The Lord’s Dwelling Place

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Scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)

[Y]ou are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Devotion:

            Today, we continue in Ephesians 2 by looking at Paul’s message to the Gentile believers in Ephesus. Since most of us reading this would be considered Gentiles this message is for us no matter where we live today. Paul states that Jesus by His death and resurrection has made us one with the people of God, the Jewish people. This means that all the promises made to the people of God throughout the Old Testament can now be applied to us in out lives. This is amazing news of the unbreakable word of God.

            The Lord has made us His people by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. In Christ Jesus we are to join hands with all other believers in worship and praise to our Savior and Lord. How different would the world be if we lived by this scripture? Wars would cease and we would be able to live in peace with everyone because of what the Lord has done for us. May we always seek to live to glorify our God.

            The church in the world today is badly divided. We assign people to groups based on denominational labels, by racial labels, and by ideological labels. Our purpose in doing so is based on our own personal comfort level. We want to be with people who are just like us. However, the Lord came to erase all those labels. He calls us to step outside our comfort zone. Leave behind our insecurities and find hope in what Christ Jesus did for us in His incarnation. We should follow our Lord no matter where he leads us.

            Let us therefore, cast aside our divisions and labels and learn to live as one body of our Lord. Together we can be a mighty army for our God. We can bring peace in places that know no peace. Divided we will be weakened and ineffective, but together we can call others into the family of God by our example.

Prayer:

            Heavenly Father, hear our cries for peace, unity, and purity within your church. We raise our voices to you because we know you will help us in our hour of need. Let us seek to read and obey your word. May we love each of our brothers and sisters in the Lord as you desire us to. Lord, grant that we may always be found to be loving our fellow believers and praising your name together with all your children. Amen. 

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