Daily Devotional for Sunday, April 7, 2024
Well today is what we call “The Lord’s Day.” It is the day we traditionally attend church to worship, praise God and learn biblical truth to apply to our lives. Tomorrow, some of you will return to work or school. Use Monday for the glory of God. Look at 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, "For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. (20) So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (NLT).
What is an ambassador? An ambassador is someone who officially represents someone else, such as a diplomate represents the President of the United States. When that ambassador speaks, it is just as if the President himself was speaking. Jesus Christ says you are His ambassador. When people see you, they are to see Jesus Christ. What you do, say, think, and etc. reveals to them who Jesus Christ is.
Are you ready to step out and be an ambassador for Christ? My prayer is that you will begin to take your faith out of the comfort of your home and the safety of your church or school building and show it to the world. Leave a Bible sitting out in your workspace or desk at school. Be ready when someone asks if you really believe what it says. Let your coworkers or fellow students see you bow your head and say a brief prayer at your desk or in the break room. When people are discussing the problems that we all deal with, casually mention what the Bible says about that topic.
Tell them how God has walked with you through difficult seasons. Take your faith to the gym or ball field with your children. Pray with them before the game starts and with parents in the stands. Talk about your church and invite people to attend with you. Being an ambassador for Jesus isn’t so difficult. It just means letting the world see your faith is real to you.
In the Netflix series The Crown, in season one, episode eight, in this drama following the life of Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen travels to Ceylon on a diplomatic tour ((Source: David Slagle, Atlanta, Georgia; source: "The Crown," Season 1, Episode 8, "Pride and Joy”).
She appoints her sister, Princess Margaret, to be her representative for minor royal engagements. Princess Margaret, who has long been unhappy with her sister's lack of flair as a queen, takes the opportunity to "bring color and personality to the Monarchy." She speaks her own mind, jokes with the press, and belittles other dignitaries. In this scene, the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, has come to rebuke the Princess, and relieve her of her duties as a representative. He explains to her that she was not appointed to represent herself.
Here's a condensed conversation from the scene:
Prime Minister Churchill: “Your Royal Highness, when you appear in public, performing official duties, you are not you.”
Princess Margaret: “Of course I'm me.”
Prime Minister Churchill: “The Crown. That's what they've come to see, not you.”
People are not looking for perfection in you, just the truth. Does your life match what you claim you believe is truth? Today, as you rest, take some time to pray to God that you will be His ambassador and represent Him well at work, at school, on the road driving, in the marketplace, in your neighborhood, at church and wherever else you may go this week. As Christ followers, we do not go out into the world to express our personal views, opinions and agendas; we are Christ's ambassador. Christ. That's who the world has come to see. Not me and not you.
Scripture To Meditate On: Jesus said this in John 20:21, “As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, thank You for calling me out of sin and darkness and into the Kingdom of Your Son. I am grateful for Jesus’ assignment to be an ambassador for Him—sharing with our world my story of all Jesus has done in and for me. Give me a new boldness, a new insight, and new discernment to be an effective ambassador. In Jesus' name, Amen.”
I love you Southside! — Pastor Kelly