Read: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ. (v. 20)
God has renewed us in so many ways! He has given us new hearts and new minds, and has regenerated us through a new birth. We have a new song to sing, and have been adopted into a new family. But God’s work of renewal doesn’t just consist in what he has done, but also in what he continues to do for us. Today we consider our calling to a new mission.
Paul reminds us in this passage that every believer is a “new creation” in Christ (v. 17). We have died to sin, and no longer live for ourselves. Now God has given us something new to live for—a new mission, “the ministry of reconciliation” (v. 18). God is using us, even as he used Paul, to be ambassadors that implore the world to “be reconciled to God” (v. 20). We share good news: there is forgiveness for sins, and new life in Christ. Through us, God extends his grace to the whole world.
Do you think of yourself as an “ambassador”? It means you are an official envoy—an authorized representative of God and his kingdom! He has entrusted us with the mission of extending the good news of salvation to everyone. That’s a big job that demands the very best of our time, talent, and effort. How are you fulfilling this mission? How can you do it better? Let’s strive to be the best ambassadors we can be for God’s kingdom! —Laura N. Sweet
As you pray, ask God to give you opportunities to serve as his ambassador for the kingdom.
About the Author
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, and former Christian schoolteacher from Midland, Michigan. She writes devotional material for both adults and children, and her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications.
