A New Name

Continuing my reading in Matthew during the season of Lent...

"Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?" (Matthew 9:5)

In this passage, the "teachers of the law" were NOT happy with what Jesus was doing. This was not their idea of how "religion" was supposed to look. They weren't excited about the idea of this man having a new life-they were too busy being angry about new life not looking like what they thought it should.

When Jesus asked, "Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?" What He was saying is that when we encounter Jesus and invite Him in to our lives, we can't help but be changed! Him forgiving our sins also marks Him breaking the chains that we were once bound by. Him forgiving our sins is the same thing as giving us a brand new start and outlook on life, because when we truly accept Jesus into our hearts, we are inviting him to change us and to set us free.

Lucy was asking me this week why her Nonnie and Opie have the same last name as we do, but why Gi-Gi has a different last name. I explained to her that before Mommy got married, she had the same name as Gi-Gi, but when Daddy asked Mommy to marry him, I changed my name to share his name. I explained to her that when she grows up and a man asks her to marry him, she will get a different name, too.

Isn't it similar with our relationship with Christ? He INVITES us to be his, but we have to ACCEPT him. And when we do, we are changed.