2 Corinthians 5:17-19, 21 | NIV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them… God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
What an incredible passage about what God has done for us in Christ Jesus!
St. Paul writes that those of us who are “in Christ” are new creations – the old has gone! We’ve been reconciled to God in Jesus. Even the whole world is being reconciled to God in Jesus! God is not counting our sins against us, because Jesus became sin so that, in Him, we could become the righteousness of God.
The response is simple: Be reconciled to God! How? By trusting that Jesus has paid the penalty for sin, by turning away from that sin, and by following Him.
I’m thankful that I’ve been reconciled to God in Christ Jesus. I’m thankful for the salvation that Jesus has made available to me.
I’m thankful I’ve been reconciled to God.
In the garden of Eden, God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. But, when they chose to sin, true fellowship with God was broken. Through Jesus, however, I’ve been reconciled to God. I can again have the fellowship with Him that my heart longs for. And one day, in eternity, that perfect fellowship found in the garden of Eden will be restored again!
I’m thankful my sins have been forgiven.
Col. 2:13, 14 | NLT | You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
How forgiven am I? The Psalms speak of my sins being removed “as far as the east is from the west.” The blood of Jesus forgives and purifies my heart and life, and my sin is remembered no more. Jesus substituted Himself for me, taking my punishment, so that in Him I could become righteous in the sight of my Heavenly Father.
I’m thankful I’ve been delivered from the power of darkness.
Col. 1:13, 14 | NIV | For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The power of our spiritual enemy, Satan, was broken by the blood of Jesus. Victory was won as our King rose again. The snake that had bitten the heel of our ancestors in the garden has been crushed by the power of our King Jesus!
I’m thankful I’ve been granted access to God.
Our High Priest, Jesus, has made intercession for us by his blood! The fellowship that was broken in the garden, has been restored!
Heb. 4:16 | NIV | Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
When I’m hurting, I have access to my Heavenly Father. When I’m sick, when I’m broken, when I have a need, when I’ve sinned and messed things up, I have access to Him. There aren’t any special stipulations, I simply call out to Him.
I’m thankful that my Christ Jesus is here to save, to heal, to deliver, and to give peace. I’m thankful that I know He hears us when we pray.
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