“And he has committed us to the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” 2 Corinthians 5:19-20
We were invited to a dinner party where the ambassador from a South East Asian country was the special guest. As you can well imagine, it is an honor for a person to be chosen to represent their country in another land. She was an effective ambassador.
During the evening she told us about her country – the beauty, the history, the people. She told us what they imported and what they exported. It was a very thorough overview. And when the dinner came to a close, she warmly invited us to come visit her country.
On the way home, my husband and I discussed the close comparison of what Christians are called to be – Christ’s ambassadors – and what she had been commissioned to be – the ambassador for her country. Meeting with her was a reminder of our calling. All Christians represent the Kingdom of God. This world is not our home.
We are here for one thing:
To tell others everything we know about our King and the heavenly home we are going to. We are to invite them to come to the Kingdom of God.
Do you ever feel inadequate representing King Jesus? We all do. We can’t do it in our own strength. But God has provided the Holy Spirit who will provide the words and the boldness. Just before His ascension Jesus said,
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…” Acts 1:8.
Do you want to experience the power to be His witness? I encourage you to ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/biblestudies/spiritfilledlife.htm
We are Christ’s ambassadors! What an honor He has bestowed upon us. Together let’s make people aware that we represent the Kingdom of God. And don’t chicken out when it’s time to invite them to come visit God’s Kingdom.
Father, thank You for granting us the privilege of being Your subjects to represent You here on earth. We have to admit, Lord, (please forgive us) that sometimes we get so busy with life that we forget why we are here. Sometimes we are downright cowardly. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, so we will be bold and loving in order to represent you effectively. Amen.
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http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/07/30/kk_christs-ambassadors/
The disciples didn’t see the irony of their situation that day on the Sea of Galilee. Of course the waves were crashing. Of course the boat was being tossed back and forth. But Jesus was sleeping on the deck. Doesn’t that strike you as a bit odd? If the storm was so bad that the disciples thought they would drown, how can Jesus be sleeping through it? And when they wake Him, don’t they perceive that He is in just as much danger as they are? The whole story is strange. Jesus doesn’t act like we would act. He is unconcerned by the circumstances. What the disciples failed to grasp is that if they are in the boat with Jesus, they are just fine.