You may not be the person you want to be, but you are on a journey! Why not rest, reflect, and look forward to all God has for you?
One of the ways we reflect God's love and bring him glory is to accept each other just as he accepts us- Rick Warren.
2 Corinthians is Paul’s second letter (that we possess) to the Church in Corinth. It was written around AD 55-57. Paul wrote his letter to a struggling Church to encourage them to believe and follow the way and teachings of Jesus. This, Paul argued, was their route to discovering their true identity. Have a think about these extraordinary verses from the second book of Corinthians, chapter 5, verses 17 to 19, as Paul passionately encourages his readers to embrace their identity in Christ: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 We’ll now take a closer look at this passage.
We’ll be building on the theory and diving into real-life stories, entering into the struggles of famous Bible characters and observing how God navigated them through their messes and insecurities. There’s wisdom there that might just illuminate your own path. You’re not alone! Today’s passage prepares us for this next phase. It highlights the difference between our identity before Jesus and our identity after Jesus, showcasing the potential of a transformed life. This “before” and “after” is what we want to go deeper on. Our inquiry is this: What difference does it make to our self-understanding and self-esteem when God becomes the centre of it all?
Let’s try a simple thought exercise. I want you to think about the person you are today and then compare it to the person you were before you met Jesus. Now, take a mindful moment and ask yourself this: What’s the difference between those two people? In the biblical text, Paul helps us understand why there’s a difference. He explains the miracle that occurred when you first put your faith in Jesus. The old you, burdened with your past mistakes, regrets, and insecurities, vanished in that moment. In its place, the new you arrived—redeemed, forgiven, and set free. God welcomed you into a relationship with Himself and committed to walk all of life with you.
This radical, transformational identity-shift really took place...in you! The question is: Do you feel it? Are you living in it? It’s a provocative question. And one you don’t have to enthusiastically respond “yes” to. In fact, if you’re at all normal, you probably don’t often feel as “new” as you might hope. Regularly, we can feel far from the redeemed, renewed, and restored creation God says we are. Life’s turbulence causes us to feel like we’ve gone astray or been knocked off course. Maybe that’s you today. Maybe there’s a chasm between how you see yourself and who God says that you are. Well, you’re in the right place. And you’re doing the right thing. You’ve taken time to slow down and connect with God. The answers you’re looking for are found in His presence.
Going back to our thought exercise, you can start today with this: You might not yet be the person you want to be, but you sure aren’t the person you used to be. You’re a work in progress! Living as the new creation God has made us to be takes time and intention. It takes a bit-by-bit approach, Bible-in-hand, following Jesus every step of the way. This is where we’re going over the next seven days. We’ll be listening to people in scripture who didn’t always feel like “new creations.” We’ll watch how God deals with them in their insecurities and identity issues. This knowledge will then inform our own journey of formation. Why don’t we pray to invite God in?
Heavenly Father, thank you for making me a new creation in Christ. The old has gone. The new is here! I want to live every day in this reality. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to walk in the truth. I forget who I am in You. Would you help me today? Would you anchor me in my true identity? Show me how to live as the child of God I am. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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