Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Becoming New" for Wednesday, 22 October 2014 - Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Becoming New" for Wednesday, 22 October 2014 - Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-14 That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It’s no light thing to know that we’ll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That’s why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We’re not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we’re on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.
A New Life
14-15 Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.
16-20 Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.
21 How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
If anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!(2 Corinthians 5:17 (CEB))
When I became a Christian at the age of 19, I thought I had to change my personality. I assumed a Christian should be quiet and reserved. For someone like me who was outgoing and loud it was a struggle. I felt that I was supposed to be someone else. But when I grew in age and in faith, I realized that the change I needed was actually a new outlook, focus, and vision of the life God had planned for me.
I discovered that God loves us both before and after we become Christians. God’s children come from all over the world: we look different; we speak different languages; we have different personalities. And that is part of God’s big, beautiful plan. When we decide to follow Christ, we know the new change within our hearts is one that comes with great blessing and the true meaning of life.
God made me with this outgoing personality, and that enables me to easily engage people and invite them to church or Bible study. God made each of us, and we can embrace who we are and confidently be ourselves in God’s name.
Read more from the author.
"Putting God First"
Thank you for reading my meditation. I wish I could tell you that I followed Christ and obeyed him instantly. During my college years my faith would come in waves and diminish just as fast. I attended church and studied the Bible but did not live the Christian lifestyle. God was patient with me and knew I still had many lessons to learn. In my early twenties and after I graduated from college I placed faith on the back burner but God continued to call me.
When I was 25 I got engaged and was married for 4 months and then divorced. This was my breaking point. One day when my nerves got the best of me I grabbed a phone book and called every psychiatrist and psychologist in the area, but no one could see me. I called the local Methodist church and was in tears and told them I needed to see someone and I was going through a divorce. The pastor met with me just 15 minutes after my call. He counseled me for a couple of months. I decided to put God first in my life. I became a church member, started to tithe and got involved and helped launch a singles ministry.  This same pastor officiated at my wedding 3 years later. 
I believe God is able to turn any trial into a blessing.  Our experiences happen so we may be a witness to others whom may be experiencing the same thing. God can use anything for good.  We may not understand at the time but God’s grace always prevails. 1 Peter 1:7 reminds us that trials are only to test our faith, to show that it is strong and pure. And if our faith remains strong after being tried, it will bring us honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 
That was 11 years ago. I'm now 36 years old and have a very blessed life. I'm married to the love of my life and we have two healthy children. We are active in our church, Emmaus group and Sunday School.
I write all this to tell you that I truly did not live God's best for me until I placed God first in my life. Matthew 6:21 Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be. Jesus is my treasure, and the more I follow the more he reveals his love for me.
May this inspire you to pray for God’s guidance in your life and in others’ lives.
I'm humbled that I am able to share my experience and God's blessing in my life with you.(Cindy Garrard)
The Author: Cindy Garrard (Florida)
Thought for the Day: God loves us before and after we become Christians.
Prayer: O God, we embrace our newfound life with comfort and joy. Amen.
Prayer focus: New Christians
____________________________