February 16th Reflection by Bill Lynch

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,
‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
   and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Reflection
Now is the time. Today is the day. Accept the grace of God through Jesus. For Jesus became sin for you and for me. Jesus, who did not sin, became the sin that you and I had been born into and have become all wrapped up in, to give his life, in our place. Jesus became my bloody and ugly sin. Jesus took on my sin and your sin so that we could live forgiven in this world and the world to come.

Yes, through Jesus we have eternal life in our one life here in this place, to continue life with Jesus in eternity. So the time is now. The time is today. The place for eternity is here. Whatever may come our way we can live out salvation through God's gracious act in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Through death we come to life and through life we can live to die.

It won't be easy. We will still suffer. We will face many hardships but whatever we face we know that in salvation we live forever in the hope of Christ and the promise of life. Yes in this contrast we may have nothing but have everything.

So live your eternal life here and now. Proclaim Christ and his glory to all the world. Show the love of Jesus as you live out your eternal life beginning now. Boldly live life in service to God knowing the grace of Jesus dwells in you and frees you to proclaim this gift offered to all people.

Now is the time. Today is the day. Accept the grace of God through Jesus.

Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSjHCn4JCDU
Jesus Messiah - Chris tomlin

Prayer
Lord, as I live out this eternal life you have given to me, may I show your glory to all those you give to me... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen