Be present today

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)

Christ did the work of redemption, but he uses ordinary, everyday folks who have given their hearts to him to invite others to serve him, as well. We bring the message: "Come back to God" - he does the work of preparing the heart to hear and respond to the message. Sometimes I think we might believe pastors, preachers, and Bible teachers are responsible to deliver that message, but nothing could be further from the truth. WE are called - WE are made ambassadors of reconciliation - WE are instruments of his grace to a hurting world.

God makes the appeal, but do we 'seal the deal'? Nope! Even that is God's work - we just bring the message. Does the message have to be spoken? Not always - God can use our lives as a testimony of his grace and restorative power. If you have ever seen a life changed by the grace and power of God, you know just how powerful that example can be to someone who is challenged by life's hurts and hang-ups. If we allow God to 'speak through us' as living testimonies of his goodness, there is no end to what could be accomplished in his name!

We speak FOR Christ. We don't speak INSTEAD of Christ. The message we bring isn't our own, but the testimony of how God has changed our lives is ours. We can share what he has done, leaving the work of drawing others to him in his hands. We aren't the Holy Spirit - it is not our job to convict others of their sin. We simply proclaim truth in a loving manner, then let the Holy Spirit do the work of bringing a change of heart to the one who hears it. We don't have to be eloquent in our words to proclaim truth - much of God's truth is simple - he loves us, he desires relationship with us, and he has provided everything we need in order to enter into that relationship with him. We simply say "yes" to the invitation.

How will God use you as an ambassador today? Where will he use you? Will it be through a post on social media, or an in-person conversation at the checkout counter? What will you share through your actions today that may give others who are struggling with hurts, hang-ups, and habits that will give them hope of a different future? Your testimony is louder than your words, goes beyond your perceived 'limitations', and is the exact instrument God desires to use. Just sayin!

Just call me "Ambassador"

It is central to our good news that God was in the Anointed making things right between Himself and the world. This means He does not hold their sins against them. But it also means He charges us to proclaim the message that heals and restores our broken relationships with God and each other. So we are now representatives of the Anointed One, the Liberating King; God has given us a charge to carry through our lives—urging all people on behalf of the Anointed to become reconciled to the Creator God. (2 Corinthians 5:19-20 VOICE)

Many of us watch the news each evening, or prior to going to bed, only to get discouraged by all the stuff we see and hear reported. Officers shot in the line of duty, car wrecks, mass shootings, downed planes, war efforts redoubled, natural disasters - the airwaves are full of these kinds of reports. Rarely do we receive the heartwarming reports of kids being kids, families reunited after years apart, or the like. Why? News isn't considered "news" most of the time unless it carries a negative report! Yet, the most important "news" to be shared is definitely not negative - in fact, it is shared in order to deal with the negative!

An ambassador is one who had been duly authorized to act on behalf of the official under which they were commissioned to perform the mission of the official. We are called ambassadors of Christ - commissioned to perform a specific mission he has designed for those he calls. We are called to urge others to be reconciled - not just in word only - but in every fiber of their being. This type of message is indeed "good news", for anything which brings and maintains the condition of being in right standing and reconciled to God and one another is definitely worth celebrating!

The good news also carries the important message of faith - our sins are no longer held against us because Jesus has dealt fully with them. When we invite him to be the one who governs our lives, we are coming under that authority or rule. When we come under the authority or rule of a particular official in our own community or country, we enjoy the benefits of that rule. The same is true in terms of our alignment with the authority of Christ in our lives. But...that alignment also means we are charged with a mission - to ensure that others hear the message of healing and restored relationship with God through Christ.

When a surgeon identifies there is a diseased or damaged part in the patient, what does he do? He seeks to remove it, right? After it is removed, the patient goes through a series of "restorative" periods. Some rest is necessary so the body will have the strength to heal. Good nutrition is essential to knit together the tissue and form a good bond at the site of the surgery. Consistent care of the surgical wound is critical in order to ward off anything which could contaminate, thereby slowing the process of healing's return. 

In much the same way, Christ sets out to not only remove what is damaged in our relationship with God, but he also ensures we can know his rest, so we have the strength to stand strong under his watchful care. He provides all that is need to nurture that restored condition and ensures that we come to a place of solid bond with him. In much the same way as a patient extols the skill of his surgeon, the child redeemed from their sin will shout the praises and share the good news of what Christ has done to bring about restoration within them! Being an ambassador of the message of hope which is found in Christ is not that hard - it just means we share our story of restoration and invite others to see theirs written as well! Just sayin!

Patient persistence pierces through indifference...

Indifference is all around us.  I am a people watcher, so maybe I pick up on this a little more than someone who isn't.  Whether it is the casual disregard for someone's property exhibited when someone just drops their unwanted trash by the wayside without a care in the world, or the passing by of a motorist broken down on the side of the freeway - lack of concern and compassion is just part of what we see everyday.  Indifference is also the producing of "work" which only requires mediocre effort.  Anytime we don't give our "all" to a project, we can be guilty of being a little indifferent to the outcome, as well.  In this world, Christ called for his people to make a difference - to stand out, to be counted, and to be agents of change.  If you haven't guessed it by now, we have a hard job ahead of us!

Patient persistence pierces through indifference; gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses.  (Proverbs 25:15 MSG)

Patient persistence is the antidote to indifference.  Now, if you struggle with ever wanting to just give up when things seem like they are too hard to break through, or people just don't want to listen to what you have to say, then you have probably come face-to-face with the desire to just throw in the towel and declare their is no use in trying anymore.  Persistence is the ability to continue with something, even in the face of resistance, and even after the resistance has been removed.  Patience is the ability to bear annoyances without retaliation, delays without explanation, pain without stumbling, provocation without getting in someone's face, and hardship without counting the cost too high to bear.  So, the antidote to indifference is us living in such a way that our lives speak of a "difference"!  Gentle speech is the antidote to the rigid defenses of those who resist our persistence!

I had to look up the synonyms for "patient" today because it is what I do - I like words and they inspire me, so I look them up!  Here's what I found:

- Uncomplaining: When things aren't going our way, or as easily as we might have hoped, it is quite easy to get into a little jag of complaining, isn't it? Why? It is human nature to want things to be easy and to regret or be frustrated when things are not. Yet, our reminder today is that if we want to conquer the indifference in our own lives so we can make a difference in the lives of others, we have to begin with curbing our desire to complain about all the things that are not "right" with our life!

- Long-suffering, Forbearing: We have an example of this in Christ's life, but since none of us is exactly like Christ at the moment, we sometimes struggle with enduring injury, trouble, and provocation for any length of time, or with the patience of a "saint".  The good news is that we are each Christ-like with the full potential to exhibit his example - we just need to tap into the potential we have been given.  Nothing will turn the heads of rulers and our fellow man quicker than one who is exhibiting long-suffering and forbearance (self-control).

- Resigned: Some might think of this as giving up, but I think this is the attitude of heart and mind which is set on doing the will of another (Christ). When we live in such a manner so as to reveal our life is not our own, but is fully under the control and influence of Christ Jesus, we show the power of submission.

- Calm, Unruffled, Unexcited, Composed: Patient persistence pierces through indifference simply because people don't know what to do with someone they cannot "ruffle".  All around us, people are seeking our "reaction" to what they say, do, or think.  What they see in us is this ability to remain on an "even keel" even in the face of some pretty rocky and rough circumstances.  This speaks volumes to those who might want to stir us up and make our lives a little topsy-turvy.

- Untiring: To continue without your strength or vigor being impacted is something most of us would love to do, but we all know how fickle our bodies are.  We want to go on, but they demand rest.  Our minds want to continue to work on something, but we suffer from mental exhaustion and our mental acuity begins to wane.  In the face of indifference, Christ gives us the sharpness of mental acuity and the soundness of body to exert our best efforts while under his control.

We deal with indifference by being willing to make a difference.  We answer the defenses of another with the gentleness of our speech.  Let's not forget we are here on this earth as agents of change - ambassadors of the message of reconciliation and hope.  We are here to encounter indifference and breakdown the rigidity of those who oppose the gospel.  Just sayin!

Ambassadors for Christ

I think one of my favorite passages in scripture has to deal with us being new creations in Christ - the old passing away, the new coming on strong.  Why? It speaks of new purpose - new hope.  I like it when I can "re-purpose" something I find at a garage sale, or in a local thrift store.  It gives me a sense of satisfaction to give something old a "new look" and then putting it to a "new use".  God does more than just give us a new look or put us to a new use - he actually "restores" us to a state we never knew we were capable of displaying or living!  This is to me the best news ever - what I didn't even know I was missing out on is made available to me through the work of the Creator in my life!  Okay...go ahead...say it!  AWESOME!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore 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.  (2 Corinthians 5:17-20 ESV)

Ambassadors are appointed agents who represent the one who has appointed them - they serve a specific purpose to represent the work and mission of the one they represent.  As such, they often bring a very specific message.  Christ has called us ambassadors of his very specific message - reconciliation.  We carry this message to those in our "circles" of friends and acquaintances. Those who otherwise would have no way of knowing they are missing out on what they were originally created for, hearing the message of the hope of restoration and reconciliation.  

Our part as ambassadors is to carry the message, but also to live it.  We don't know the power of a restored life until we see it "re-purposed" by the hand of the master Creator.  Truth is, we don't know the power of a transformed life until we see it lived out.  We don't know the potential of the "discarded" garage sale or thrift shop find until we envision it in its new state. The same is true in the lives of those we touch - we don't see their potential until we begin to see them through the eyes of Jesus.

As ambassadors, we proclaim the message - but it is more than a message in words.  It is a message of "re-purposed" lives being lived out in the "real" world.  Too many times we try to separate our "spiritual" lives from our "other" lives.  We have two separate ways of living out the message - one at church and one in the "real" world.  Can I just stop us for a moment here and remind each of us, me included, there is no more "real" world than the one we live out every day and no more important place to live as ambassadors of Christ than in this "real" world.  

God simply asks for us to reveal the reality of his work in our lives and the authenticity of his power to re-create what has been destroyed by sin.  His power to "re-purpose" a life is on display in you and me - our part is to not hide this from the "real" world, but to allow our lives to speak "loudly" of his grace and power.  As his authority is established in our lives, our lives change. Those changes speak of his grace, love, and power to redeem, restore, and re-purpose a life.  

When reconciliation occurs, something is brought into agreement or harmony which was clearly not in harmony before.  In reality, as long as we continue to live by our own "doing" and the standards we think are pretty close to living "good" lives, we are just barely living.  Until we are put into agreement with God through the work of Christ in our lives, we are not really living at all!  To restore means to bring back to original condition.  Apart from Christ's work in our lives, we can "sand away" at the marred areas in our lives, but we will never be fully "brought back" to our original condition.  It often amazes me what God can do when he has his way with those rough, marred areas of our lives!

If you can imagine for a moment what it would be like to walk into a room with all kinds of wobbly wooden chairs.  They each could serve a purpose as a chair in someone's home because they are all still with four legs, a seat, and a back.  But...they lack stability.  Their purpose is evident - they are chairs. They appear okay until you go to put any pressure on them.  That is when you see the rickety legs and the wobbly rungs.  They only give an impression of stability until they are under pressure - then the truth becomes known.

Maybe this is what our purpose is - to be able to offer stability to "wobbly" lives once again.  I don't know about you, but when God set my life right, giving me strength and stability to stand up under the pressures of life, I was delighted to be put to use for him.  Wobbly people need the tender hands of the master craftsman to give their lives a "re-purposing" - our part is to take those lives to the craftsman.  We "connect" the wobbly with the one who brings the ultimate stability - Christ.  Just sayin!