March 7, 2013

A fresh beginning

By Emily Trapp, a senior music major from Canby, Ore.
SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (NRSV)
DEVOTIONAL:

Have you ever wished that you could just start your day over? That maybe you could take a nap for a couple of hours and try again during your lunch hour? Unfortunately, I have felt that sensation many times since being in college. As much as we try to be in control sometimes, we are ultimately not the one calling the shots in our lives.

This is something I struggle with often. I am a lover of iCal, productive apps on my smartphone, to-do lists, anything that will make me feel more on top of my life. But when I take time to reflect on this lifestyle that I can so easily get wrapped up in, it reminds me of all of the walls I may be building around myself to limit God from using me in the best ways possible. I believe that it is only when we give everything (schedules, insecurities, needs, etc.) up for God to control that we can be shown the true power of his grace in our daily lives. It is, after all, our responsibility as ambassadors of Christ to carry reconciliation in our hearts not only for others around us, but for ourselves as well.

I’d encourage you to think about the ways in which you may be building walls between you and God. What’s stopping you from starting over? No matter who you are, where you are or what you may be carrying in your heart today, we are all granted the gift of beginning fresh. What are you waiting for?

SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (NRSV)
From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All 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, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat 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.

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Comments (7)

  1. You are so right I do make walls up so God is not able to talk to me Thank you for the reminder

    bob March 7, 2013 |

  2. Thanks Emily! We can (and should) be made new every day. But to do that alas, we must also open ourselves up too. Those structures you mentioned that you rely on? I hate to break it to you, but it doesn’t get better as you get older! Making us more efficient? Maybe. But at what cost? Of course you need to control your life in this frenetic world. So let’s make it time to ‘listen’.

    Debbie Lackowitz March 7, 2013 |

  3. Leave a response…

    Eleanor Howell March 7, 2013 |

  4. How we all struggle with this; full of regrets. The following lines remind me of available hope. ““Every day is a fresh beginning, Every morn is the world made new; You who are weary of sorrow and sinning, Here is a beautiful hope for you, A hope for me and a hope for you. “

    Eleanor Howell March 7, 2013 |

  5. Thank you, Emily. However old I am (79) I’ll freshen myself daily by remaining open to the rejuvenating Spirit; and, on the natural level, by seeing the happy faces of children and hearing their screams of delight! The awesome line, “…he made him to be sin who knew no sin” makes me believe that Jesus has leveled with me. What more do I want? Lenten Blessings on you, Emily.

    Mervyn Carapiet March 7, 2013 |

  6. A good word, Emily1 Thank you

    Ethel Umble March 7, 2013 |

  7. You are a wise young lady! right on with your message! (from a recovering list-a-holic!)

    Diana Thomas March 12, 2013 |