How Many Times?

How many times have I read Ephesians Chapter Two?

Dozens?

And yet when I read it this morning, newness sprang up at me again and again.

Read it, then come back to this if you like.

All of us were lost. Dead in our sins.

God—rich in mercy—loved us then.

Enough to raise us up with Christ. Alive.

So he can show incomparable kindness to us in the coming days of our lives.

Whoa!

He created … me … for good works.

He’s got them ready for me.

Through the blood of Jesus, all people in the world are brought near to God.

Jesus came to bring peace between all people.

He broke down all walls and barriers of hostility.

There is no hope without Christ.

But Jesus brings us all together, building a home where we can all live together with God.

God with us.

None of this was new to me.

Yet it struck with amazement this morning.

I was dead. I can believe that. But God loved me so much, and he wants to shower unbelievable kindness on me.

He has prepared good things for me to do. I want to read that again and again.

The people Paul was writing to needed to hear about Jesus bringing peace between gentiles and Jews. However, I have no doubt that God speaks in this passage to all the people in the world with barriers of hostility between them.

Jesus wants to bring us all into a home together for the glory of God.

Whoa!

Thank God for his living and active Word.

Ephesians Chapter 2.