THE STORY OF JESUS: 2 Corinthians 5-7
“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The bible begins with creation, and ends with new creation.
From beginning to end, this world is our focus, our intended home.
But we live in between, in the cursed creation, clothed in misery.
In the middle of this story is Jesus, God’s messiah (the Christ).
Jesus loves us, dies for us, so that we might be forgiven and restored.
He is the turning point in history, reviving God’s dying kingdom.
He represents the new creation, life as it was meant to be.
And in Him, we become the new creation, with His Spirit in us.
We now represent this new creation, as God’s ambassadors.
To that end we strive with all His might to live accordingly.
Never perfect, always struggling, facing many pressures and weaknesses.
But our confidence is in Jesus, not ourselves; He guarantees our victory.
Am I longing for my “heavenly dwelling”, that is, my new creation life?
Am I making it my goal to please Him, no matter what happens (5:9)?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, by faith (not sight) I believe that I am a new person. Help me to think this way and to behave this way, even when life gets hard.
Our goal, my goal is to please Him. My desire is to live for Jesus today and always in His presence. Emmanuel – God with us today and always – and so today and always I live for Jesus. I am a co-worker in His garden which one day will be without blemish – restored to its created form – but in the meantime, I am His working wholeheartedly in that garden being a stepping stone and not a stumbling block for all to see Christ Jesus living in me.
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into your hands
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into your hands
For it’s only in your will that I am free
For it’s only in your will that I am free
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be