2 Corinthians 5:12-21 My middle son, Ron, was in Bogota, Colombia on a mission journey. He went with a team into a drug dealing area called the Cartuge. His team visited a drug rehabilitation center there where criminals were learning about Jesus and being born again. When Ron entered the center he felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to offer to wash the feet of these men. Many of them did not know the story of Jesus’ washing the feet of His disciples, so Ron read it to them. After the reading of the Scripture, the foot washing began.
Each team member knelt with a bowl of water and towel to minister to the man they felt the Holy Spirit wanted them to minister to on that day. One on the team members named Dave had just put on a brand-new pair of socks that morning. When Dave removed the socks from the man he was ministering to, he heard the Holy Spirit say, “Give him your socks.” As soon as he finished praying for this man, Dave took off his socks and said, “I want you to have these. They are a gift to you.” The man picked up his filthy socks and handed them to Dave. He said, “I want you to have my socks. They are a gift to you.” Dave hesitated for a moment and then put this man’s stinky socks on his feet and said, “Thank you.”
What a great demonstration of exactly what happened on the cross. Our reading today says, “That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (vv. 19-21).
On the cross Jesus was willing to wear our filthy socks of sin so that we could have the clean socks of His righteousness. He dressed us in His robe of righteousness. He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Because of this divine exchange we can live a new, clean spotless life!! What an exchange!!
Lord, often I feel I have nothing to give You, and then You remind me I can always give You my own sins. When I do this by confessing my sins, You give me the gift of cleanness of heart and mind. Help me to never wear the dirty socks of sin by refusing to confess my sins so not only can You forgive me, but also cleanse me of all unrighteousness.
READ: Job 40:1-42:17; 2 Corinthians 5:12-21; Psalm 45:1-17; Proverbs 22:14
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