Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
When I think about this scripture, it challenges me a little bit because I know myself really well. I know what I've done, what I've said, and who I've been. I'm so familiar with myself. I wonder, how could God be my friend? Why would He choose me?
I think about when we are kids. Some of us are closer to childhood than others, but take a minute to think back. When you were on the playground, how easy was it to just walk up and exchange snacks and say, Hey, you want to be my best friend? Then you're going to birthday parties and everything makes sense and all is right with the world.
Something changes when we're in adulthood, though, because one wrong word or one wrong action and everything falls apart. That sounds very similar to our original relationship with God. If we're honest, as we think back, we've said and done some things that we wish we wouldn't have. The Bible calls that sin. Unfortunately, we all deal with that.
Hope in Broken Relationships
The beautiful thing about this scripture is it actually brings hope to a broken relationship. Sin separated us from God, but because of the work of Jesus, He doesn't just make the old relationship better. That's not what the scripture says. It says here it gives us a wonderful new relationship.
I don't know if you've gone through things that have shaken your faith relationally. Maybe you had a pastor you looked up to and what they said or did hurt your heart in a way that is indescribable. Maybe you had a friend you thought you could trust and they betrayed your trust. The relationship isn't the same.
I don't know that we would want it to be the same kind of relationship. I don't believe God wants us in the old way. He doesn't want the old relationship we had with Him. He wants a brand new one. Through Jesus' death on the cross, the shedding of His blood for you and for me, we can have something that's never existed before.
You don't have to worry about your past playing a part in it. God sees you through Jesus, a brand new creation.
Restoration Through Jesus
I'd like to invite you to take time to, one, evaluate yourself. Where am I at in standing with God? Have we said yes to the offer He's made us through Jesus, to have relationship with Him?
Secondly, I'm reminded of the friendships that I've had in my life and still do that are broken, that I wish I could restore. I invite you today to not stop praying. Don't stop believing for a brand new relationship. Pray that today could be day one. Something new is possible, but it's only through Jesus.
