April 20 Tents are not permanent

Reading: Deuteronomy 3-4 and 2 Corinthians 5

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Thoughts: I love how earlier in the chapter Paul was looking at our bodies as tents a temporary dwelling place, yet we have a permanent dwelling in heaven. When we get down to verse 17 Paul is reminding us that even though we are still living in the tent we are to live as if we are in our permanent dwelling. Our old lives have passed away and we are new creations in Christ. We need to walk in the fact that we are new creations and let our old selves pass away. Over the last weekend at a men’s retreat I was reminded that the name of stupid that was spoken over me as a child and the pride that I developed after overcoming that obstacle and getting a Bachelors degree, both needed to be let go and given to God because I am a new creation and it dose not matter what others have called me or what I have claimed myself over the years but what matters is that we are all chosen by God and called Sons and Daughters. 

Prayer: Father God, I thank you for choosing me and creating me anew as your son through what you did through your Son. Your grace is sufficient for me, your abundant love pours over us. Open my eyes and ears to your ways and help me to live as if I am in that permanent dwelling you have made for me.