Colossians 1:21-22
21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds expressed in your evil actions. 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him—
Have you ever lost sight of your past? Have you ever found yourself far removed from who you used to be before Jesus rescued you?
I think this is something we all face at some point or another. I’ve certainly been there before. You know, that mode where your focus is on everyday life and just simply getting through the day. With four kids under the age of five, that has been the reality for Sara and me. We are exhausted at the end of the day.
As we were in Indianapolis last week, it hit me how important it is to keep our awareness level of our past somewhat high. Not where we’re obsessing over our past, but where we simply remember it. Because when we forget our past, we can easily forget how much others need to hear the good news of Jesus. We can easily forget that all of us have been on the enemy’s team, working against God. We can easily forget that all people aren’t closed off to the good news as the news and social media might tell us.
I think this is one of the reasons Paul reminds the Colossian Christians of their past. He doesn’t want them to lose their awe for and their gratitude to God. He wants them to be aware of what Jesus has done—reconciling them through His death and presenting them as holy, faultless, and blameless before God.
That’s amazing! We used to be hostile toward God. But because of Jesus, we are reconciled to God and presented, not as enemies of God, but as holy, faultless, and blameless before God.
So today, take a moment and think about who you used to be before Christ reconciled you. Think about the things you used to do, the way you used to think, the things you used to say, the things that had your affections. Then take a fresh look at who you are today because of Christ’s work in your life.
If you are in Christ, thank Him for the fact that you are not who you used to be.
Onward, saints.
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