Welcome to Redeem the Commute. I’m Ryan, your host for this daily challenge. It’s Thursday, the day we try to apply and live out what we’ve learned this week from the Bible. This week we’ve been studying how Jesus intends to make all things new, including us!
We spoke yesterday about how this process of renewal began with Jesus’ death and resurrection on the cross. How does that lead to people made new?
It begins with a recognition that we are in need of renewal, by admitting something is wrong with ourselves. We are sinful, rebellious, and broken people. If we recognize we are in need of salvation and help, we’re more likely to recognize it when it comes!
And it came, in Jesus. God, in human flesh, came to earth and became one of us. He lived the perfect sinless human life we never could, and then gave it to us. He sacrificed it, dying, and then destroyed death’s power over humanity. He did this by rising from the dead, proving it could be outlived, and wasn’t the inevitable end of every human life. Death was overcome.
Now what about us? The risen Jesus is working in the world, and in human lives, to complete the job. He destroyed sin’s power, and invites us to run it out of town. He wants to come into our lives, and wash us clean from the inside out.
This is what baptism is meant to symbolize – our old self being washed away, and us then being made new.
Like my house in the story I told Monday, this doesn’t happen by itself. It’s something that Jesus has done for us. This is why it beings with admitting we need help – we can’t fix this ourselves! We can’t wash away sin permanently, nor can we do anything about death ourselves.
But we can welcome into our lives the one who can – the risen Jesus Christ.
Challenge: Pray for this. Either for the first time, or to reaffirm your commitment to Jesus.
Gracious Father, I realize that you already know me and that you love me. You love me so much that your Son Jesus died for me. I want to make a fresh start with you, to put you at the very centre of my life and to follow you from now on.
Please forgive me for all those things in my past that have come between us. And help me to turn away from whatever would keep me from following you faithfully and consistently in the future. Please help me to grow to know and follow you more and more each day. Help me to grow into the person that you desire me to be. Amen.
Tell me!!!!