Wednesday June 22, 2022

Today is Wednesday, June 22 and we continue to pray through chapter two of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

I come to this time of prayer bringing an open heart and open mind, quietly waiting for God to reveal truth to me and whisper wisdom over my soul.

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God, I am here to experience your loving presence and discover the specific message you have for me. Communicate through the sacred words of holy scripture and help me carry your revelation throughout my day. Amen.

I am grateful for the access I have to God’s presence and praise him with the words of Psalm 118.

Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. Psalm 118:19-21

Pause and Pray

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came seeking people, even those who are far away, especially those who might be considered the farthest away from God. In this passage, Jesus proclaims the good news of the kingdom to both the Jews (those who were considered near) and the Gentiles (those who were considered far off). Although God’s Covenant with humanity began with the Jewish people (the Old Covenant), it was God’s ultimate intention to reach all of humanity with the gospel of salvation and restoration (the New Covenant in Jesus’ blood). Because of Jesus, we all enjoy privileged status and equal access to God. There are no exclusive claims – full redemption and an intimate relationship with the Holy One is offered to all people.

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 2:17-18

Jesus Christ comes to the places of deepest division, disagreement, conflict, discord, hatred, hostility and violence. Jesus comes and speaks peace. I am one who was far away from God and Jesus came and reached me with the good news of salvation, preaching redemption and peace for my soul. Through Jesus I have access to God the Father by the one Spirit. In this each member of the Trinity is active – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The barrier between me and God is removed. The dividing curtain of the Temple is torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). The separation from the Holy of Holies is bridged by the great High Priest, Jesus the Messiah, and my soul is given access to the One who loves me and sought me.

Ask: What does it mean that I am granted access to a holy, righteous, powerful and loving God? How should I live my life differently because I am offered access to the Father?

Pause and Pray

Come, Lord Jesus, speak hope into the empty caverns of my soul, preach peace to the chaos of my heart, whisper love to the lonely recesses of my spirit, shout truth from the rooftops of my mind. Bring me near to you and remind me of the access I have to the spiritual blessings you provide. I read the words from Ephesians again and listen for the message you have for me.

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 2:17-18

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

As I ruminate on these two small verses of scripture, a mere thirty-one words of biblical text, I consider how these words inform my current circumstances and state of my soul. Where in my life do I seek peace? Perhaps I am encountering places of anxiety, worry and concern. Maybe I am struggling to gain harmony in a particular situation. In what ways do I feel far away or estranged from God? In what ways do I experience God’s closeness or nearness? Perhaps God wants me to set aside more time or make a more sincere effort to regularly enter his presence and take advantage of the access I have been given.

Pause and Pray

Holy and Loving God, I long to enter into your presence and encounter the totality of your divine love. I ask for your peace to saturate my soul and refresh my languid spirit. Remove the barriers I have erected which prevent me from gaining access to your grace and experiencing the love you offer. Amen.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

As I leave this time of prayer, I go walking in the peace of God to speak peace into the lives of others.

Amen