Being and Becoming God’s Own

Sometimes, in the midst of our hurried lives, we just want the bottom line given to us. Just give us the bottom line, no opinions, just the bottom line, we cry out. Paul does that for us in a couple of small paragraphs that center our focus once more. He actually does it in one sentence, “One man died for everyone.” That one sentence is a game changer for our thinking if we believe, really believe that ONE. MAN. Died. For. EVERY. One. Let it sink in.

This passage is worth reading a dozen times or more throughout the day, letting it seep into every crevice of our hearts, minds and souls, giving light where darkness might be dwelling causing a dank smell in our relationship building. If we do, we will experience the joy and peace of beginning again, “a new life burgeons!”, says Paul. Making things right with God causes us to want to make things right with each other. Enjoy the reason we live and breathe here until we are “there”.

2 Corinthians 5, The Message
A New Life
14-15 Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.

16-20 Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.

21 How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

Bottom line Truth?
–Christ died for everyone. We are all in the same boat.
–Make it right with God, through Jesus, then make it right with others.
–We are Christ’s representatives: God has given us the task of telling everyone to make it right with God and others, too.
–We can become friends with God.
–God is already a friend with us!
–Work from this focused center of Jesus Christ. Life begins with Christ.
–Christ is the reason we can be put right with God.

Dear Heavenly Father, I was depressed and Your Word has restored my soul. I was weak and Your Word has reminded me that You will be my strength all day long. You have restored the joy of my salvation, of making it right with You. Now help me to make it right with others in my family, friends and all who will come alongside me in this journey here. Thank you, Lord.
In Jesus Name, Amen

And I’m singing…

“Just a Little Talk with Jesus Makes It Right”