March 6th Reflection by Bill Lynch

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 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.

Reflection
From now on... Something has changed! We have changed! We have been forgiven and live, from now on... We are now a new creation. We remember the past but we live, from now on... We live in the present and we live into the future, we live from now on... We live as a new creation into eternity, from now on... Our old sin has passed away and through Jesus Christ and with the forgiveness of sin and salvation, we live from now on... Our eternal life has begun, here and now and we live from now on...

So now what? What does this from now on... mean? We have been made right through Christ and given the ministry of reconciliation. Jesus became our sin on that cross. Our sin... he died in our sin... and he didn't even sin! Out of pure love, Jesus gave his life for our sin that we might be made right for God. So now, we are representatives of God. Ambassadors sent on a special mission. A mission to take this news of reconciliation to the world. Some to the world in other countries, others to the world in the message and still others to the world in which they live. A message of love, hope, joy and reconciliation. We take a message of forgiveness and freedom from sin, death and the devil. We take a message to all people that they can change. Anyone can repent and live a new life as a new creation and live eternal life from now on...

Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord; you change me when I turn to you and repent. You make me into something new. You graciously loved me enough that you made me your highest representative to take your message of life "from now on..." to all the world. The world in which I live in this day and at this time and to the world "from now on..." Prepare me for mission... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen