Week 4 | Thursday
Thursday – Access
Written by Joshua Lester (Pickerington Campus)
Ephesians 2:17-18
“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”
Have you ever tried to enter a place where access was restricted? Maybe a locked door, a member-only club, or a backstage pass that required a badge. There is something unique about being granted access to a place that others can’t access, especially when you know you don’t deserve it. In Ephesians 2:18, the Apostle Paul delivers a beautiful truth to all those in Christ: through Jesus, we ALL have direct access to the Father by one Spirit.
For centuries up to this point in Ephesians, only certain people had access to approach God in certain ways at certain times. Gentiles were excluded from the inner courts of the temple in Jerusalem. Even for Jews, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and only once a year. Therefore, this truth Paul talks about is a radical shift for ALL people. Because now, through Christ, the barriers are gone. There’s no longer restricted access, no more red tape. We can approach God freely. Not because of who we are or what we have done but because of what Jesus has done for us.
Not only do we access, but it’s by one Spirit. The same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead now lives in us, uniting us with God and with one another. This means the presence of God isn’t found in a temple or a church but in the hearts of the people who have said YES to Christ. And that same Spirit doesn’t just connect us to God – it connects us to each other! Meaning that no one is closer to God than anyone else. We ALL come to the Father the same way: through the Son, by the Spirit.
So today, don’t take that access for granted. You’ve been invited into the very presence of the God of the universe. Walk into His presence boldly, knowing you’re fully welcomed, fully loved, and never alone.
Reflection Questions:
- How often do you take advantage of the access you have to the Father through Jesus? What might be keeping you from drawing near to Him?
- What does it mean to you that you have the same access to God as anyone else?
- How can recognizing the unity we share “by one Spirit” shape the way you view and treat other believers?
Prayer Prompt:
“God, thank you that I can approach you with confidence. It’s not by anything I can do or will do, but because of what Jesus has done for me.”