A Daily Devotion for Thursday, December 21

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

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.

As I read this morning, I realize the rest of chapter 5, verses 20 and 21, do add even more to this same thought. Before Christ was sent to walk with us, we were constantly needing to seek forgiveness and to do it in a very specific way. Believers became tangled in laws and rules. When God sent Jesus to reconcile us to Him, we learned a new way. Our sins were forgiven, and we were then able to begin to follow God in earnest, trying to change and to be more like Jesus with every decision and every action. This process, of becoming more and more holy, closer and closer emulating Christ, is what I believe sanctification to be. Christ is part of the definition for me. (Not sure if this is theologically sound reasoning?)

Holy Lord, you know my heart. I long to be more and more Christlike. Show me the way. Each and every day is important and a gift from you. Amen

Becky, transforming

Pic by Kathleen C