Christ brought us together through His death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through Him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.
That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what He is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now He’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home. Ephesians 2:16-22 MSG
We were considered ‘aliens’ in the Kingdom of Heaven. But no longer …because of Jesus. We now have been grafted, cemented into His ‘building’. The building He is constructing is a ‘living’ eternal structure, made from ‘living stones’ … which is us. The House of God is NOT a 4-walled building on earth – with the title “Church” on it, it IS the living family of His own. Those who know His voice and follow Him. There are those who try to ‘sneak’ into the ‘family’ but really don’t have the ‘legal’ standing to be recognized by Jesus. They say they “do” all sorts of things in “His name” but in their hearts they are only about themselves. They are still ‘illegal aliens’ trying to have what is not actually theirs. (reread Matthew 25)
Do you realize that if you are reading this … that you are not ‘home’ … yet, and ever since you accepted Jesus as your Lord fully within your heart … that your ‘citizen’ status was changed? Can you ‘feel’ the ache for your real home? I understand the feeling of being spiritually ‘homesick’. Many days … I pine for Heaven. The older I get the more I feel the longing for the home He is making especially for me. Oh… to be with Him … and the entire family of God. To be in His Presence fully beyond the curse of sin and evil. Fully accepted, fully known, fully seen, free from the constraints of this earthly flesh body made from dirt. But… I’m not there yet, so today has a purpose He has for me. So… I bow my knee in surrender asking for His grace, and power, to help realize what He desires from me … this day.
Another day to invest into eternity for His purposes. What ‘divine’ appointments has He set for you today? Are you ready for them? What ‘divine’ tasks does He have for you to do today? What prayers does He want you pray in agreement with Him? Who is the Holy Spirit wanting you to pray for? Is your heart and mind fixed in listening for His still small whisper? Are you ready to say “Yes!” to Him in whatever He is asking you to do … today?
Father …we lift praise to You today. For when we praise YOU our shackles fall. Jesus You are worthy to be praised! Holy Spirit we surrender to Your will and choices today. Show us today what You have for each and every one of us.