There Goes the Neighborhood!

Scripture: II Corinthians 5:17,21 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new... For HE hath made HIM to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in HIM.

Well, this is the year that we [we earthlings] managed to land a functioning multi-purposed vehicular detective on the surface of the planet Mars. Wow! Earth's moon received such a visitation [manned], in the 1960s, and now this! Amazing! Our remarkably driven appetites, [and highly funded science, engineering, and mathematics] certainly can go far when we target our efforts to specifically accomplish a great thing. Yet, for the more immediate human matters placed right in our faces, we seem to be effectively dull and distracted, enduring the same issues one decade to the next, and century to century. Amazing!

This event is truly incredible, but should we forget how we've actually met GOD?  Such a remarkable date, with such a remarkably detached regard, excluding religious robotics. Thankfully GOD is patient. Thankfully there is love.

This community of Hebrews has Moses as its ambassador, whom they embrace with mixed affections, while knowing him to be chosen, called-out. By GOD, and through his ordained leadership, they are slaves to Egypt, no more. Deliverance has happened. Miracles have been experienced, chastisement has shown up, and loss and gain has happened by GOD's hand. They have risen to full worship as a community, and they have fallen to full idolatry. They've spiritually moved like they're on a roller coaster, smiling one minute, and screaming the next. [Holy cow!]

My advice to the martians are, pack your bags... your property values are about to plummet!

But, there is hope for our futures [and that of our martian neighbors] should we connect with what God has done, summarized in one word: Reconciliation. For the Hebrews, there was great change, ushered through the anointed ministry of Moses:

"And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments... And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So [then] the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much." Exodus 35: 20-21 and 36: 6-7

But weren't these the folks that made a golden idol, a bull, out of the bounty which memorialized their deliverance from slavery? Weren't these the same ones that dismissed GOD? Hey! Wait a minute, ain't them, us?

Yep.

GOD used Moses for the purposes of reconciliation, and for us, here and now, GOD Himself has reconciled.

So for that about us, and even upon us which is unseemly, despair not, for our precious change personally and collectively, has come, and is ever nigh:

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

Hallelujah, for His mighty work, and His indescribable gift of salvation.

Prayer:  Let, O' LORD this meditation be wholly mine, from arising, to my own settling, 'Your will be done', this day and evermore. And upon this change of grace, shall I boast a new song, a new conversation, and a new walk. GOD be praised!  Amen.

(by Dr. McNeal Brockington)