THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Monday, June 30, 2025

Lord, how arrogant of me. I was king of my hill. Raised in a religious environment, I considered myself a moral and decent guy. According to society, I fit the mold of a good citizen. Non-controversial. Not a troublemaker. Civil to all people except those I couldn’t stand, and I would have done my happy dance if they had a flat in the middle of the freeway during rush hour … in the rain.

Jesus, when your grace opened my understanding as to who you are, my inner man’s sinful condition became clear. A great spiritual abyss existed between you and me, and my soul was in danger. A personal relationship with you, Lord, was what was missing in my life. Raised in a Christian home, I knew about you from Sunday school lessons, but I didn’t truly know you. In other words, Jesus, I believed that yes, you existed, but I didn’t understand how your death on a cross in an ancient Middle Eastern land could, 2,000 years later, cancel my sins and transform me into a new person today.

The apostle Paul encouraged his Corinthian friends, reminding them where they were, and their souls’ spiritual danger, and by God’s grace only, God welcomed them into his kingdom.

“You were dead in your sins and not part of the family of God. He made you alive with Christ and forgave all your sins. He canceled our spiritual debts that condemned us as sinners by taking our sins to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-15 paraphrased).

Thank you, Jesus, for revealing how you canceled our sin debt and made us a part of your family.  Amen.