The Daily Devotion from The Upper Room in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "The New Me" for Monday, 15 May 2017 with the Scripture 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

The Daily Devotion from The Upper Room in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "The New Me" for Monday, 15 May 2017 with the Scripture 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation — the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new! 18 And it is all from God, who through the Messiah has reconciled us to himself and has given us the work of that reconciliation, 19 which is that God in the Messiah was reconciling mankind to himself, not counting their sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore we are ambassadors of the Messiah; in effect, God is making his appeal through us. What we do is appeal on behalf of the Messiah, “Be reconciled to God! 21 God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness.”

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If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new![2 Corinthians 5:17 (NRSV)]

One of my favorite places to study the Bible and to spend my devotional time is in the room adjoining our kitchen, near a fireplace and lots of windows. In this peaceful and picturesque space, I can see deer grazing, pine trees swaying in the breeze, and birds feeding. As I look into the morning sky, my attention is drawn to the moving clouds that are constantly changing in size and shape.

The cloud formations remind me that God is always creating and recreating, making all things new. Since Christ came into my life, I have radically changed. The old me is being transformed into a new creation. Daily I am dying to my old self — the me who tried to live life by my own strength and power. This by no means has been easy. My life is a work in progress. I am not yet what I ought to be, but thanks to God I am not what I used to be. Through God’s amazing grace and transforming power, God is shaping me into the image of Jesus Christ.

The Author: John I. Penn (Georgia, USA)

Thought for the Day: Abundant life begins with accepting God’s love and saving grace.

Prayer: Creator God, thank you for looking beyond our faults and seeing our need for salvation. Forgive us and guide us daily as we seek to grow in the likeness of Christ. Amen.

Prayer focus: For Forgiveness

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