The passage we heard from Ephesians expresses a new understanding that Paul has talked about in his other letters but never fully developed. The abolishment of the barrier between Jews and Gentiles is the key to understanding God’s plan for the universe. His plan was and is to unify the entire universe in Christ Jesus. That is God’s gift to us, and we should be grateful for what He has done for us.

The author of Ephesians refers to God’s gift of grace as a lavish inheritance. Something we didn’t earn, but which is gifted to us. How often do we settle for less when God is dying to give us grace? How often do we settle for the tired old habits of religion—legalism and dogmatism- instead of waiting in expectation for the lavish gift of forgiveness, the mystery of adoption by God? How do we correct our vision?