Thoughts for the Day

* Ephesus today.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

At the moment I feel as though I am neither here nor there! I finish my work in Manorbier in a week's time, and will be moving away shortly, though I will keep writing these 'Thoughts for the Day'. Many of you know I have not been very well and it's time for me to retire (for the second time!). So I'm not sure if I feel a citizen of Manorbier parish, or a citizen of my new parish, at present. What I do know is that I am a citizen of the household of God in this world and a citizen with the saints of the next world. For God's Kingdom of love is both here and not here for us all at this time.

When St Paul (or possibly one of his disciples) wrote to the Gentile Christians who lived in Ephesus (now in modern day Turkey) he was concerned to warn the members of the Church against listening to heresies and false teachers. He tells them they are not second-class citizens they are part of God's household, initiated by His prophets and the apostles, and thinking of the Church as a building, he speaks of it being built on the foundation stone of Jesus himself.

For us it is the same. Two thousand years later the Church, that is the people of God, is built upon the foundation of Jesus and of the prophets and apostles. But we also need to remember that we are citizens with the saints, that is we are citizens of this world and of the next world, of Heaven. Across the world all our different denominations make one Church!

Heavenly Father,
may we remember
that we are members of one Church,
wherever we live in our world,
and whatever our denomination.
As Christians our faith is built upon
those who came before us,
but help us to remember
that we are really citizens of Heaven.
Amen.