Trainsformers—An Urban Christian Journey预览

Two-Step 

Randy M.

I fell in love with hip hop at a fifth-grade school dance. My best friend and I stood as still as those guys at Times Square who fool you into believing they’re actually statues until they wink at you. We just stood there, watching all of our friends do what we wouldn’t dare ... dance! Public speaking is scary, but public dancing? Terrifying! That is, until I learned how to two-step. This changed the game completely! 

Many people desire a relationship with God, but they just don’t know how. I have great news! Just like dancing, a relationship with God can also be summed up in only two steps. Repent—step 1, and be reconciled to God—step 2. 

Repent means to turn away from sin—all the things you do against God’s will that harm yourself, others, and the creation. Reconcile means to return to right relationship, to restore harmony with God. It goes like this: 

Step 1: Acknowledge your sin. Ask God to be forgiven. Stop living in sin. Wait ... How can we just stop living in sin? That’s hard! Well, that’s why the steps are inseparable; one without the other won’t cut it. 

Step 2: Turn to (follow, obey, live with and for) God. Step two makes step one possible. Jesus died for our sin, and the power of God, which raised Jesus from the dead, also gives us strength to live free from sin. 

In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul tells us that grace and peace go together hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. Grace means a gift or favor given when you do not deserve it (the forgiveness of your sins) and peace does not merely mean that you are no longer against your enemy (we were enemies of God when we were in sin.) Peace means that the relationship that was broken is now reestablished. We go from enmity to fellowship through our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jesus paid the price so that we could have a relationship with him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Are you tired of living in sin? Do you want to be free? Are you longing to reestablish your relationship with the Father? The great thing about this two-step is that anyone can do it. 

Prayer

God, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong. Forgive me. I do not want to be in enmity with you anymore. I turn away from sin and turn to you. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice. I receive the peace that only you can give. I will treasure every moment in your presence. Amen.