Verse: Ephesians 3:1-6
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Devotion
As I’m sure you know, Mean Girls is the greatest movie of all time, and I’m still offended that it didn’t win the 2004 Teen Choice Awards “Hissy Fit” award. It should have.

If you are uncultured and haven’t seen it, the main theme that matters for today is that the girls in the school are being mean to each other. Sophisticated readers may have figured that out from the movie title. After the conflict comes to a head, the principal and some teachers organize a therapeutic session where the girls can air their grievances and confess to each other.

During the session, a girl from a different school comes up and starts talking, and one of the characters, Damian, yells out “she doesn’t even go here!”, and the girl is dismissed and not allowed to continue. She just had some feelings she needed to express!

Basically, this is how anybody who wasn’t a Jew was treated until approximately 33 A.D. Dismissed, not part of the in-crowd, and rejected. In the Bible verses at the start, Paul talks about his revelation of an incredible mystery:  that everyone, not just Jews, can get up and air their grievances, confess, and talk to God, and that importantly, Jesus died on the cross so that everyone can be rescued from eternal doom. Again, not just the Jews.

This sounds like a pretty great change to me. I’m not Jewish, and would otherwise not have the chance to be rescued from eternal doom. I like being rescued from eternal doom, so consider me a fan of Jesus, and Paul’s revelation here. Beyond just the being rescued aspect here, I really like the implication that God’s work takes a lot of work and a lot of people to be fulfilled. Could God do it? Yeah, of course. But he wants to strengthen people and bring his truth to the world, and he needs more people beyond just a relatively small and insular tribe of people to do it.

Paul ends the chapter later on with “to Him be glory in the church (people) and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!”. I mean, I have days where I feel great and want to change the world, but this is some next-level vision. God wants to be with every person who ever lives, forever!

Big goals, big vision.

That’s going to take some work, and God wants you to do it, and he made a way, even if you’re not a Jew, through Jesus.

Prayer
God, what’s the work you need me to do today to bring you glory?

Author: Jordan Ambra