"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God' 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. Ephesians 2:19-22
Have you ever had that niche of people that you when you're with them, you just want to say, "These are my people!" I have had a few experiences with that kind of feeling. But the best example I can think of is vicariously through my daughter Amber. She played volleyball on a competitive team from late elementary school through junior high. She was one of the starting setters for her junior high 8th grade team, but when the season was over, she said, "Mom, I'm done. Next year in high school, I'm going to focus on theater and not volleyball." My heart sank, because I love volleyball, and not only did Amber have some talent, but we had a lot of years of money invested in that talent. But as I wrestled with her words, I had to validate the fact that she wasn't happy for some reason, and she wanted to do something new. At the end of her 8th grade year, she auditioned for and made the "Black Box" theater for Wylie High School, and she began her freshman year with that being her new passion, her new focus.
At the end of Amber's freshman year, she told me, "Mom, I'm done with theater. Next year I'm going to focus on debate." Now that one was not so easy to swallow. I didn't know much about "debate." Actually, I didn't know anything at all about "debate". What I did know was that Amber had given up after five plus years of volleyball to do theater, and now in my mind, it appeared that she was giving up on theater. How wrong I was. My daughter knew herself, and she was searching for "her people." So with our blessing, Amber began her sophomore year active on the debate team. It didn't take long for her to realize she finally found what she was yearning for. I'm so thankful for the coach and the other team members who have embraced her into their little family. She has a home. A safe place. She has found her people.
Through a friend's encouragement, I have been praying through the book of Ephesians, reading and dialoguing in prayer as I read. As I pray through this book, it's definitely taking me more time than I ever imagined it would. I can read pretty quickly. But when I read, and pray back to God what He's showing me, journaling it, well, that takes a lot longer. Doing this, however, has given me the time I need to really focus on what He is telling me, instead of just reading and "moving on" with my day.
So as I finished up reading Ephesians 2 this morning, I can't help but think of this story of my daughter Amber in parallel to what we have in Jesus, if we have found our peace in Him. Take a look at Ephesians 2:19-22. Paul is addressing the fact that Jesus died for both Jews and Gentiles. There is no difference between the two, and we all have free access to God through what Jesus did on the cross.
Paul says "we are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens in God's household." As a small child, I made the decision to give my life to Christ. I wasn't a drug dealer, I wasn't an alcoholic, and I wasn't a really bad person - I was just a child. But there was a point in my life when I realized I was a sinner, and my sin separated me from God in heaven. So I asked Jesus to come into my life, forgive me of my sins, and I put my faith and trust in Him and Him alone. There's nothing I could do to earn his grace; it was only by accepting His free gift, the gift of His Son Jesus dying on the cross to pay for my sins. Now go back to the verse: "We are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens in God's household." Did you catch that? Because I have asked Jesus to come into my life and forgive me of my sins, because there's been a time in my life when I've asked Him to take control, He says to me and others who have made that same commitment, "THESE ARE MY PEOPLE."
Yes, I am a member of God's household now. I have my place. But just like Amber had to do her part to fit in with her new Debate Family, we do need to do our part as well with God. No, doing good things do not save us, but our lives should match God's expectations, and that is where we fall short so many times. I mean, if Amber had joined the debate team and then never actually went to a tournament, if she never prepared a case to debate, if she didn't do her part of being on the team, do you think that would go over too well? I don't think so. Not with the coach, her partner, or her fellow team members. Then why is it that we don't take the same approach with being on God's team? That is where I fall short too often. Look at verse 22 "In Him, you too are being built together..." I love the fact that it says "are being built." That means that it's a process that takes place and there's still hope for me!
As I prayed through the end of chapter two today, I stopped at that last verse "to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit." Is my life being lived in a manner that God is comfortable enough to dwell there? When we have company coming over, we clean, clean, clean. Why? I don't know about you, but I clean so I won't be embarrassed by the dirt in my house. I want my guest to be comfortable, and truly, I just want to have an enjoyable time of fellowship. So as I read this verse, God just reminded me that just like I clean my physical home, I need to constantly also be doing spiritual cleaning so God's Holy Spirit is comfortable in my dwelling place. He longs to have an enjoyable time of fellowship with me, but if I've not been confessing sin and seeking His will, there are going to be a lot of dust bunnies built up that would make open conversation with Him perhaps a bit awkward, if not even the elephant in the room.
He is my Chief Cornerstone, and each one of us as Christians should be working together to accomplish His will so we can be identified as HIS PEOPLE. Is that not the highest compliment God Almighty can give? To say, "YOU...are mine. YOU are my people." To say to the body of believers, "These are my people."
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com