Daily devotion – There has been a change!
Hebrews 11: 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
When you become born again, your life changes dramatically. Your whole focus shifts to the Lord, and you begin to see things differently. Your passions undergo a seismic shift away from worldly pursuits, and now, everything you seek to do is for the glory of God.
As a result, your relationships with people here on earth also change. You may feel a disconnect with those you once knew because you have become a citizen of heaven. Like Abraham, you realize that this world is no longer your home; you are now a stranger and pilgrim, with your ultimate goal being to be with the Lord in glory. This transformation occurs because the Holy Spirit has taken residence within you.
Two important things to remember today because of this change:
1. Our Loved Ones Become Our Mission Field:
Firstly, your loved ones, friends, work colleagues, classmates, and fellow team members now become your mission field. The way you live before them should be as salt and light. Your changed life should reveal the love of God to them. Before you were saved, your relationships were merely social or familial. But now, as followers of Jesus Christ, you are on God’s mission! God desires to use your salvation to reach those around you who do not yet know Christ. In reality, your love for them has increased because you now understand the eternal significance of their salvation.
2. Our Relationships are Transformed:
Secondly, your relationship with others is now different. Jesus Christ has become your first and most important relationship. This does not diminish your love for your family or friends, but it transforms it. An example of such a change is when a young couple gets married. They remain sons and daughters, brothers and sisters to their loved ones, but now their spouse takes first priority in their lives above previous family members and friends.
Sometimes the change in your relationships will be very noticeable. You may find that you are no longer on the same wavelength with those you previously were close to. They have not changed; you have.
Let us this week accept what God has done in our lives and be about His business. Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and love your family and friends with the love of Christ, so they are both intrigued by and attracted to how and why you are different.
Let Christ shine in relationships where once the focus was more selfish. Now, let us live unselfishly before them.
May they see Jesus Christ in us!