Ambassadors for Christ’s Love

In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, the Apostle Paul writes:

So if anyone is in Christ there is a new creation: everything old has passed away, see, everything has become new! All of 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…”

In other words, God is saying – I’ve forgiven you, and loved you. And now I’ve entrusted you with this beautiful, beautiful message of love and forgiveness and hope. And it is not just a message to share with words… but also by the way you live.

I don’t know how that might look for you in your own life. Maybe there is someone you know who feels estranged from God – and you have an opportunity to share that grace with them. Maybe there are relationships in your life that are strained or broken. Maybe there are people that you need to forgive, or even to reconcile with? Maybe for you, the first step would be simply to pray for someone who hurt you. Maybe there is a conversation you need to have. Maybe there are things that you simply need to let go of. I don’t know.

But my prayer for you today is that you would accept the love and forgiveness Jesus offers you on the cross. May you share these gifts with a world, a nation, a community desperately in need. And, may you start with those relationships closest to you.

Let us pray: God of Hope, we remember today that you have promised that nothing can get in the way of your love for us in Christ. Help us to accept the mercy, forgiveness, and grace that you offer. Heal us, renew us, and strengthen us that we would be ambassadors of your love. Amen.