Daily Devotion

Fellow Citizens

Audio

Today is Thursday, the 8th of May. Let us take a moment to be still in His presence.

As we welcome another day, we begin with praises from Psalm 136, verses 1 to 9:

136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁴ to him who alone does great wonders,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁵ to him who by understanding made the heavens,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁶ to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁷ to him who made the great lights,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁸ the sun to rule over the day,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁹ the moon and stars to rule over the night,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

Ephesians 2:13-22

¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Reflection

We have just concluded another national election. In times like these, our sense of citizenship is often stirred. For some, it’s a focus on rights—the right to vote, to choose, to speak up.

For others, it’s about belonging. This is perhaps most deeply felt by those who were once foreigners but are now citizens—those who have chosen to belong to this land.

It’s this privilege of belonging that Paul emphasizes in this passage. Once strangers and outsiders—often divided by culture, ethnicity, and hostility—we have now been made one new humanity in Christ. Once far away, we have been brought near—through the cross.

The family of God is something precious. Our spiritual passport is priceless. It marks us as permanent citizens in a kingdom that will never fade.

How we view this family matters. Ephesians will return to this theme in the chapters to come. But even now, we are invited to marvel at what God has done—not only saving us as individuals, but placing us in a new household, a new community.

This family is not perfect—but she is sacred. The Spirit dwells within her. She is precious. She is eternal.

Take a moment today to give thanks for this spiritual family. We don’t give thanks because the Church is flawless—we give thanks because of who she is by God’s grace.

Think of your Cell group, or the close Christian friends who walk with you. This is your immediate spiritual community. Give thanks for them. And consider how you might renew your love and commitment to them.

And for the wider Church—pray for her unity. Pray that in a world so often divided, she would truly reflect the one body we are called to be in Christ.

We end with praying this Collect for the unity of the Church:

O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
our only Savior, the Prince of Peace:
Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in
by our unhappy divisions;
take away all hatred and prejudice,
and whatever else may hinder us from godly union and concord;
that, as there is but one Body and one Spirit,
one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all,
so we may be all of one heart and of one soul,
united in one holy bond of truth and peace,
of faith and charity,
and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Be blessed by this rendition of The Church’s One Foundation

1. The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation,
By water and the word;
From Heav’n he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.

2. Elect from ev’ry nation,
Yet one o’er all the Earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With ev’ry grace endued.

3. ‘Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forever more;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.

4. Yet she on earth hath union
  With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
  With those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
  Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly,
  In love may dwell with Thee.

Link to today’s Morning Office