Change. Some people love it, some people hate it. No matter which side of the coin you land on, change is a regular part of life as we know it. According to a growing number of authorities, the world has seen more change in the last 200 years than in all of history combined. Think about it. We’ve seen huge developments in technology: engine-powered automobiles, airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, the microchip, computers, television, telephones, the Internet, and much more. The speed at which life is changing can be staggering!
As much as these changes have impacted history, an event occurred long before the last 200 years that forever changed the course of humanity. What was this event? The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God’s one and only Son who left His Father’s side and came to earth as one of us nearly 2,000 years ago. He did not come as a wealthy and powerful King, but He emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant (see Philippians 2:7). Not only that, He submitted Himself to one of the most humiliating and horrible kinds of death known to humanity at the time. He was tortured and nailed to a cross for all to see. But fortunately for us, that is not where it ended. He rose from the grave, conquering man’s worst enemy – death itself!
How did Jesus’ coming change life as we know it? In order to see, we must take a step back and look at what life was like before He came, suffered, died and rose again. Man and woman, in their original state, were created in the perfect image of God. However, they chose to take life into their own hands and walked away from their Creator. As a result, sin permeated their being and set them on a course destined to be eternally separated from the Giver of life. As sin continued to spread and manifest amongst humanity, broken relationships, death, sickness, disease, war and much more wreaked havoc on the earth. The picture looked pretty bleak.
Then Jesus stepped in. He took onto Himself the sin of the whole human race – past, present and future. In His suffering and death, He received the judgment for sin that you and I deserved. Now, when a person places his or her trust in Christ, they can receive God’s gift of life. The life He offers may be described both in terms of quantity and quality. It is life that will continue into eternity and it will be abundant and full.
The world is rapidly changing. In the midst of all the change, don’t lose sight of the most significant event that has ever taken place. Christ’s life, death and resurrection changed history; allow it to change your life personally. Will you place your faith in Jesus Christ and receive God’s gift of life? If you have done so already, will you continue in that faith and share it with others?
Thank You, Jesus, for changing history. Because of You,
we have a future to which we can look forward.
I give you my life and receive the life You came to bring.
Help me now to point others to do the same.
In Your name I pray, amen.