Devotional: One In Christ
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 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 to the Father by one Spirit. Ephesians 2:14-18
In our lives we have many different aspects that make us who we are. When we express ourselves, we find that we are not like everyone else. Not everyone in the world is the same and not everyone thinks or acts or looks in the exact same way as me.
Naturally we tend to seek out those who are like us because we are more comfortable around people who act, think, or look like us. However, as we do this we also create barriers. Some barriers like gender, race, and culture, we can't help, but we also create barriers of our own by how we vote, how we choose to spend our time, our jobs, and what we eat. No matter what barriers separate us we can always overcome them.
But sometimes we don't always find it so easy to see past our differences especially those that we create by our personal choices. That person votes democrat while someone else votes republican. That person is a vegetarian while others love meat. They send their kids to school while others choose to teach their children at home. These differences of ours, based on our personal choices, can cause so much friction at times that one group won't support or help out the other.
Do we let our differences get the better of us? Sometimes we do, don't we? That is because we have a sinful pride that always has to be right and thinks that everyone must see the world my way. We have a sinful pride that never takes into consideration that someone was raised in a completely different style, stetting, or condition.
We need someone who can break down our barriers so that we can not only live together, but actually get along.
That is where Jesus comes in. God has made us one with everyone on this earth. It doesn't matter where you come from, how you were raised, or what group you choose to belong to, we are all created by the same God, all need to be saved by the same Savior, and brought to the same faith by the same word.
Because of Christ we are no longer defined by race, gender, culture, but by God's love for us all to be called: children of God. God does have boundaries too, but he only bars us from what will keep us out of heaven. When we see each other as children of God we are finally able to live with each other freely and for those who believe in the salvation that our one true God has accomplished for us we will live in this freedom of barriers for all eternity in heaven.
Happy that my God has made me a part of his family, just like you!
Jacob Hanneman is the pastor of Shepherd of the Plains Lutheran Church in Fort Morgan. In-person worship is at 9 a.m. Sundays. Online worship can be found at www.shepherdoftheplainslutheranchurch.com.
