Devotional: Jesus Is Our Peace: Ephesians 2:11-22

“And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:17-18, NASB).

On August 23, 1967 I enlisted into the United States Army. I took an oath to defend the constitution of the United States of America. Now in the country I am labeled as an African American, but I believe that in 1967 I was labeled as a Black American. I don’t know why the name continues to change over the years since nothing about me changes just because you call me by a different name. I did not take an oath to defend Black people, white people, Native American people that were called Indians in 1967. I committed myself to defend the constitution of the United States of America. It is the constitution that gives us the right to be a citizen. It is the constitution that unit people of many ethnic groups, skin colors, languages, religions, ancestries, and lifestyles. It does not matter which way a person is identified by others or how one identifies themselves, we are all American citizens because the constitution gives us the right.

I am a Christian. The Christian religion is made up of many groups of people from all over the world. It does not matter how one is identified from worldly perspective, all are Christians. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus to talk about how they became believers in Christ Jesus; how they became Christians. They are one people because of Jesus Christ. Just as the constitution determines if a person is a citizen of the United States, the same is true for Christians. All people, I mean every individual and every people became citizens in the kingdom of God because Jesus gives the right to be one. Everyone, both Jews and Gentiles were outside the kingdom because tall were enemies of God. Jesus came and preached peace to Jews and Gentiles alike. Both groups were reconciled to God through Jesus Christ who was born into the world so that He could die for the sins of the world; making peace with God.

The constitution of the United States of America determines who is a citizen. Jesus Christ is the reason that we have peace with God.

Prayer: God we thank You for Jesus who gives us all peace with You.