God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. —2 Corinthians 5:21 

Click Here to Read Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

If you’ve been in the church a while like me, or even if you’re new to this whole Christianity thing, you probably have heard a verse or a phrase paraphrasing a popular verse that goes like this, “For our sake, he made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21(ESV).

The definition of righteousness is “the quality of being morally right or justifiable.” Maybe, like me, that doesn’t sit right with you. Not because I don’t want to believe that God sees me as His righteousness, but because I know that I am indeed unrighteous, a sinner, and prone to selfishness. I have no moral high ground to stand on. But in Romans 4 I read that Abraham was considered righteous because he believed. He believed… faith for righteousness. We cannot earn God’s love, but we are called to a great exchange.

The Bible is full of exchanges. He gives us beauty in exchange for our ashes and joy for our mourning. Even with that knowledge, it still doesn’t feel real to me that the God of everything could see me as faultless. But I had a lightbulb moment recently as I listened to a teaching. In Christ, my spirit is faultless, clean, and pure.  My spirit is who God created me to be from the very beginning, and my spirit cannot die. And because of my faith in Him, He sees me as the pure spirit He meant for me to be.

Jesus sees you and me through the lens of what He created, not the mess we create. How incredible is that?

So today, when the whispers of the enemy begin to feel more like shouts, speak this truth: I am the righteousness of God. He sees me for who he created me to be, not the mess I have created. I cannot be more loved than I am in this moment.

Reflect:  Has your mess kept you from seeing yourself the way God sees you? Have you struggled with allowing yourself to freely accept all God has because of feeling the need to earn it?

Prayer Starter: 

Jesus, I thank you that you see me for who You created and not the mess I create. Help me today to accept your views of me and let go of the idea that I must earn a place in your family. 

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