Peace!

Ephesians 2:14-18

I think we underestimate or forget to acknowledge the huge role that Jesus' death had in restoring not only our relationship with God (and that would be great enough!) but also in restoring our relationships with each other. Even beyond inter-personal relationships, according to Paul, Jesus' death brought peace to the conflict between Jew and Gentile. Again, I have to wonder if this is complete now or if Paul is using the same kind of language that he uses when he sees us already seated in the heavenly realms: it is such a sure thing that it is like it is already existing (and we see it existing on some level in the present but maybe not completely).
The violence of Paul's words stands out to me: Jesus destroyed the middle wall of hostility - I see dust and mortar and bricks flying everywhere! This was no nice, neat job of taking down the wall and stacking the bricks up to be recycled or reused. The wall is destroyed! There is nothing to seperate us from other people groups, traditions, cultures, etc. in the church because we all have Jesus in common. Through him we can all be reconciled and through him we all have access to God.
This must be such a huge testament to the power and glory of God to the rulers of the heavenly realms (and everyone on earth) - that God's grand idea of having all these opposing, warring cultures exist in peace in one Body and then to have it work! Wow! Only God could do that! Who else could have come up with such a crazy idea?
More and more, as I read through Ephesians, I am starting to catch on to and fall in love with God's vision for the church. It's so much more important and glorious than I really understood.