Friday, March 7: Ephesians 2- Jesus is everything.

Ephesians continues to be very rich. Verse upon verse is laden with food for my heart, mind and soul.

I found myself dwelling upon the final 3 sentences of the chapter. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit (19-22).

Fellow citizens and members… God has placed us in His family. Think of those phrases as metaphors. I have friends who have come to the US from other countries and have become naturalized citizens. It is quite a process, including a certain amount of time lived in the US, various background checks, and multiple trips to immigration, taking and passing of tests and then a swearing in. In Paul’s day, if you weren’t a citizen there was a considerable payment to become a citizen. Yet in Christ, God ‘does the work for us.’ Through faith in Christ, God grants us citizenship based on Jesus’ work on the cross. What a gift. A gift not to be taken lightly.

Membership, whether a club, or society, church or team has various requirements, too. Again, God pays all the dues, whatever they might be, to guarantee our entrance.

Jesus is the glue that holds everything together and He is the foundation upon which people of God are built. Jesus is everything. Jesus accomplished everything regarding our salvation.

We have a song in worship we sometimes sing, which is basically a lyrical reciting of the name  “Jesus.” I have heard comments that it is too simple or too repetitive. But you know, it is true. Jesus is everything!

Lord, Jesus, You are my Hope, my Deliverance and Deliverer, my Savior, my Lord, my Redeemer, my Payment, my Sovereign, my Anchor in storms. Jesus, you are my Everything.

I surrender to You.

Praise be to You, Lord Jesus. My Jesus. Amen.