2 Corinthians 5:17-21 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Paul teaches that through faith in Christ, God makes us into new creations. We are reconciled and restored in relationship with God, who no longer counts our sins against us. This radical transformation is entirely God's doing - we simply receive this new life through faith. Now reconciled, we have a ministry of sharing this good news with others, urging them to be reconciled to God as well. On the cross, Jesus took on our sin so that we could take on His righteousness. This great exchange allows our relationship with God to be made new.

What an incredible gift! Through Jesus, we are utterly transformed and made new. Our old, broken selves are replaced with a new, reconciled identity in Christ. This should bring us immense hope and gratitude. No matter what we've done, God offers us total restoration. He looks at us as if we have never sinned. This is hard to fathom, but it's the truth of the gospel. As those who have received this lavish gift of reconciliation, we now have the privilege of sharing it with others. We get to invite people into the same life-changing relationship with God that has so transformed us. Let us live out this ministry with passion and boldness, proclaiming the good news of reconciliation to all.

Father, thank You for making us new creations in Christ. Where we were once alienated from You, now we are welcomed home through Your great love demonstrated on the cross. Help us live each day in light of this new identity You have given us. May we overflow with praise and gratitude for Your reconciling work in our lives. Empower us to be ambassadors of this reconciliation to the world around us. In Jesus' name, amen.