Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Proclamation and Acts of the Kingdom of God
Bible portion:2 Corinthians 5:17-20
V17” Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!
Devotion
V17” Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!
Devotion
My dear friends in Christ,
I did not know I had end stage kidney disease. I had no outward symptoms, nor did I feel sick or weak. In June of 2022, I was infected with covid became sick. I took a blood test and found out that my creatinine was dangerously high, which meant my kidneys were not functioning the way they were supposed to, not filtering out the unnecessary and bad elements in my body. My nephrologist wanted me to go on immediate dialysis, but by some intervention, who is God, I did not. Instead, I went on the strict diet, registered myself for a transplant, when I was told I had to wait three to five years in the tri-state area. But by God’s grace and miracle, received my transplant in nine months. Thank you, Jesus!
After all the trial and complications of surgery, Jesus never left my side. I was never alone in my hospital room, for He was my constant companion. And I marveled at the sunrise and sunset each day as I looked out of my hospital room window out into the Hudson River. God created a new physical me, giving my body new life, giving my soul new life, a new creation with renewed hope and gratitude.
The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!”
His grace covers and renews us and sets us free from the bondage of our sins, of our weaknesses, of our illnesses. When you give up your insecurities, arrogance, know it all attitudes, and humble yourself before the Lord, you will see the transforming power that Jesus brings and you will feel God’s grace covering you. You are transformed and become a new being in Christ. The way you walk, the way you talk, the way you worship will change. The love of Christ will pour out of you. And those who encounter you, will want to know more about this Christ who has transformed you.
We must first acknowledge the divinity of Jesus to be a new creation. For when Christ enters our life, our old habits that keep us away from Christ are gone. And this is God’s gift to us, to be reconciled to Him through Christ. Jesus has commanded us to do the same for others, being ambassadors by spreading the news of the Kingdom so that everyone can have the same opportunity as we do to be reconciled with God. Jesus died not for a select few, but for all of humanity.
Let’s look at Saul in the Bible. On his way to persecute the Christians in Damascus, Jesus met Saul, transformed him, and Saul became Paul, renewed his life and followed Christ and endured persecution for Christ. Paul is now the most spoken about disciple of Jesus as he spread the gospel throughout the region more than any of the original disciples. And how about Zacchaeus’ greed for money and wealth. Greed made him steal from people, but he found Jesus and salvation, repented, gave half of his wealth to the poor and four times as much to those he stole from.
The presence of God in us transforms us to be generous with and time, talents and money. It changes our outlook on life, helping us to be aware of others and their needs. When we focus on Christ, we become aware of the needs of our neighbors. Let’s lend a helping hand, serve and love others, be a good neighbor, a friend to the lonely, the bullied, visit the sick, feed the hungry, forgive and pray for others, in other words be more like Jesus.
Let’s filter out the bad and unwanted things in our body, mind and soul, by walking closely with Jesus, obeying His commands, studying and meditating on His word and asking for forgiveness, through prayer and worship. Let’s renew our life in Christ into a new being and make ourselves a beacon of hope and light to those who walk in darkness.
I did not know I had end stage kidney disease. I had no outward symptoms, nor did I feel sick or weak. In June of 2022, I was infected with covid became sick. I took a blood test and found out that my creatinine was dangerously high, which meant my kidneys were not functioning the way they were supposed to, not filtering out the unnecessary and bad elements in my body. My nephrologist wanted me to go on immediate dialysis, but by some intervention, who is God, I did not. Instead, I went on the strict diet, registered myself for a transplant, when I was told I had to wait three to five years in the tri-state area. But by God’s grace and miracle, received my transplant in nine months. Thank you, Jesus!
After all the trial and complications of surgery, Jesus never left my side. I was never alone in my hospital room, for He was my constant companion. And I marveled at the sunrise and sunset each day as I looked out of my hospital room window out into the Hudson River. God created a new physical me, giving my body new life, giving my soul new life, a new creation with renewed hope and gratitude.
The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!”
His grace covers and renews us and sets us free from the bondage of our sins, of our weaknesses, of our illnesses. When you give up your insecurities, arrogance, know it all attitudes, and humble yourself before the Lord, you will see the transforming power that Jesus brings and you will feel God’s grace covering you. You are transformed and become a new being in Christ. The way you walk, the way you talk, the way you worship will change. The love of Christ will pour out of you. And those who encounter you, will want to know more about this Christ who has transformed you.
We must first acknowledge the divinity of Jesus to be a new creation. For when Christ enters our life, our old habits that keep us away from Christ are gone. And this is God’s gift to us, to be reconciled to Him through Christ. Jesus has commanded us to do the same for others, being ambassadors by spreading the news of the Kingdom so that everyone can have the same opportunity as we do to be reconciled with God. Jesus died not for a select few, but for all of humanity.
Let’s look at Saul in the Bible. On his way to persecute the Christians in Damascus, Jesus met Saul, transformed him, and Saul became Paul, renewed his life and followed Christ and endured persecution for Christ. Paul is now the most spoken about disciple of Jesus as he spread the gospel throughout the region more than any of the original disciples. And how about Zacchaeus’ greed for money and wealth. Greed made him steal from people, but he found Jesus and salvation, repented, gave half of his wealth to the poor and four times as much to those he stole from.
The presence of God in us transforms us to be generous with and time, talents and money. It changes our outlook on life, helping us to be aware of others and their needs. When we focus on Christ, we become aware of the needs of our neighbors. Let’s lend a helping hand, serve and love others, be a good neighbor, a friend to the lonely, the bullied, visit the sick, feed the hungry, forgive and pray for others, in other words be more like Jesus.
Let’s filter out the bad and unwanted things in our body, mind and soul, by walking closely with Jesus, obeying His commands, studying and meditating on His word and asking for forgiveness, through prayer and worship. Let’s renew our life in Christ into a new being and make ourselves a beacon of hope and light to those who walk in darkness.
PRAYER
Create in me a clean heart Oh God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away, from Thy presence of God
Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me
Restore onto me, the joy of Thy Salvation
And renew a right spirit within me - by Keith Green
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away, from Thy presence of God
Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me
Restore onto me, the joy of Thy Salvation
And renew a right spirit within me - by Keith Green
Elizabeth Abraham
St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Yonkers,New York
St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Yonkers,New York