‘In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. ‘ Ephesians 2:12 (NLT)
‘So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. ‘ Ephesians 2:19 (NLT)
All kinds of wonderful things happen when you become a believer, whether you become part of the body of Christ as a little child or as a retiree. Your status with God changes from enemy to child. Your future changes from condemned to saved. Your spiritual appearance changes from filthy to glorious in God’s eyes.
Another marvelous benefit is that you acquire an enormous number of new friends and family members. As you are connected to Christ, you are automatically connected to his brothers and sisters. Isn’t that amazing? No Christian can possibly say, “I am alone.” “Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:12,19).
Are you part of a congregation? You have a network of people to worship with, pray with, serve with, laugh with, grow with, and learn with. Through your church you can be an important encourager of other strugglers. And there you can let people minister to you. Then you will know how you matter in God’s scheme of things.
from Fear Not: Devotions From Time of Grace