Devotion: All Saints Day
Please review the scripture from this weekend: Ephesians 1:18-19
Pastor Michelle’s message this week was a meaningful reflection on the significance of All Saints Day. I love that this day invites us to pause and remember the faithful followers of Jesus who have gone before us into life eternal with Him. Their lives remind us that sainthood, holiness, virtue, and Christlike character don’t happen by accident.
No one becomes a holy, kind, or “saintly” person by drifting into it. It takes intention. It takes effort. It takes the daily, deliberate choice to follow Jesus — to sit at His feet and learn from Him how to live, love, and serve as He taught.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians captures this calling beautifully:
“…with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power for us who believe, according to the working of His great power.” Ephesians 1:18–19
Paul is pointing to a reality that is both inspiring and deeply practical; the same grace and power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us right here, right now. God’s love and strength are not distant ideals; they are near, within reach, for those who seek Him with open hearts. Experiencing this transforming grace is not accidental, but rather it’s the fruit of an intentional pursuit of God’s presence.
I remember learning this lesson years ago in my early twenties, not long after college. A few friends and I, all equally disoriented by our first full-time jobs and embracing the concept of “adulting,” started a Bible study together. We chose Ephesians, a book none of us knew well and committed to a sixteen-week journey of reading, studying, and praying together. The author of our study guide challenged us to read the entire letter to the Ephesians in one sitting each week. We took that challenge seriously, encouraging one another to carve out that time and return to the text again and again.
That study was over twenty years ago, yet I can still see how formative that time was then and has helped shape me into who I am today. It taught me that transformation happens through steady, intentional engagement with Scripture and community. The saints in Ephesus and the saints in our own lives remind us that spiritual growth is a journey of faithful pursuit, not passive belief.
As we think about All Saints Day, let’s give thanks for those who have gone before us, whose faith still shapes us. But let’s also remember that we, too, are called to join their ranks and become living examples of grace, hope, and love in our time. Let us seek out those everyday saints around us who model Christlike living, and let their lives inspire us to deepen our walk with God.
Holiness is not reserved for the few, but it’s an open invitation to all who are willing to be formed by Jesus. May our hearts be enlightened to know the hope of His calling and the immeasurable greatness of His power at work within us.
Gracious loving Lord, we pray that we will use this reminder of All Saints Day as a renewed calling to pursue You and learn from You as those who have gone before us. Give us a nudge to reach out to others in our community who can be a resource and help point us toward growing deeper in our life with You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Written by Matt Clay
Matt and his wife Joanna have two young daughters, Emery and Madisen. The Clay’s have been members of the Sheridan community since 2014.
Matt’s spiritual growth has been influenced by the teaching of the late Dallas Willard, which led Matt to pursue an M.A. in Spiritual Formation from Spring Arbor University.
Matt works full-time in the financial industry and believes that God has called him to be a steward of His grace and presence in the marketplace.