Our Daily Bread devotional, December 31, 2016 - Now Is the Day

Topic: Now Is the Day [December 31, 2016]

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:18–6:2, Bible in a Year: Malachi 1–4; Revelation 22

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

Our preschool-age granddaughter Maggie and her kindergarten-age sister Katie hauled several blankets to the backyard, where they proceeded to build a blanket tent in which to play. They had been outside a while when their mom heard Maggie call for her.

“Mom, come here quick!” Maggie yelled. “I want to ask Jesus into my heart, and I need your help!” Apparently at that moment her need for Jesus became clear to her, and she was ready to put her faith in Him.

Maggie’s urgent call for help in trusting Jesus brings to mind Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 6 about salvation. He was discussing the reality that Jesus Christ’s coming—including His death and resurrection—instituted an era he called “the time of God’s favor.” We live in that time, and salvation is available to all right now. He said, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (v. 2). For all who have not yet trusted Jesus for forgiveness, the time to do so is now. It is urgent.

Perhaps the Holy Spirit has alerted you to your need to put your trust in Jesus. Like Maggie, don’t put it off. Run to Jesus. Now is the day!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I now understand my need to have my sins forgiven. I also realize that only Jesus—because of His sacrifice on the cross—can forgive my sin. I put my faith and trust in Jesus today. Please forgive me and become the Lord of my life.

There’s no better day than today to enter into God’s family.

Insight:

Second Corinthians 5:20 provides a marvelous description of our role as believers in the world: ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is a representative sent to a foreign country. When we share the good news that Christ paid the penalty for sin, we are doing the work of God’s ambassadors. The redemptive work of Jesus Christ through His death, burial, and resurrection has provided the means by which human beings—who are spiritually separated from God—can be brought back into a relationship with their Creator. As ambassadors we share God’s promise of a new citizenship in heaven for all who will repent and believe the gospel.

This message was written by Dave Branon [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]