“There is not a single part of your story that remains unaffected by the healing presence of Christ.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – September 23, 2021
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, NKJV
In reference to these words from 2 Corinthians 5, it is sometimes said that Christ “makes all things new, not all new things.” This is an important distinction that brings with it great significance for how we view the journey of faith and the pursuits of our lives. Old things may have “passed away,” yet they are fulfilled and healed in the process of “all things becoming new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
St. Paul reminds us, with one of his most powerful and memorable phrases, that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” This is the heart of Christ’s ministry of reconciliation: returning us to the eternal life for which we were made. Yet this return is not simply one of declaration, “allowing” us to be with the Father while leaving us unchanged. We are not simply “covered” by Christ, we are transformed, renewed, and healed in our innermost being.
There is not a single part of your story that remains unaffected by the healing presence of Christ.
Every hope and dream, every wound and scar, each finds itself made new and whole in the light of his presence. Similarly, the day to day activities of our lives—our work and goals for our careers, our family life or care for elderly parents, or our hobbies and recreational pursuits—each of these finds its transformation and true meaning. The “old things” of this life, such as our insatiable quest for material wealth or power and respect, these fade away in the light of Christ’s love.
Do not limit your life with Christ to a disembodied, rationalistic faith. Of course, reason is a gift and we must have our minds renewed by the good news of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:2). However, strive today to see how God’s love is at work in everything, reshaping and renovating every aspect of what it means to be human. Just as Christ took the whole of humanity upon himself in his Incarnation, so too does he long to heal every part of your story. All things have become new.
Prayer
Father, thank you that you love and restore us in every way, making us ready and able to live forever with you, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
What part of your story have you been tempted to throw away? How can you instead offer it to God in faith that he will transform it and weave it into a beautiful story of redemption?
Related Reading
Isaiah 43:18-19; Romans 6:4; Revelation 21:5
Worship Resource
Hillsong Worship: All Things New
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