"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
We crave newness. Unspoiled freshness. New car smell. Peeling the protective plastic off an electronic device. Puppy breath. Baby powder.
Newness feels...hopeful, promising, alive with possibility.
Newness hasn't made mistakes.
Yet.
Newness hasn't been soiled by carelessness or ignorance or cruelty.
Yet.
Newness feels perfect.
I'm the queen of new year's resolutions. I've resolved for years...and failed to follow through a lot of the time. The weight doesn't come off. I still lose patience too easily and too often. My house doesn't stay tidy and organized. It doesn't even start being tidy and organized.
These failures have lead me to rig my resolutions so I wouldn't fail by resolving to do things I already do. Yay, I learned and created some things last year! Go, me! I won!
The newness we gain in Christ, however, is different. What does this mean..."if a man be in Christ"? Well, it means giving your life to Him, surrendering your sin to Him, opening your heart to be filled with His love and to let His love flow through our hearts and hands and into the world, where it will make other old, broken, hurting hearts new, whole, and healthy.
We don't make anything new. We are conduits of Christ's healing love and grace and mercy in a broken and soiled world.
The purpose of newness in Christ isn't a smaller waist or cleaner home. The purpose of newness in Christ is relationship with Him, seeing the world in His eyes, and relating to that world in a new way.
In Christ, we can do all things that are good and righteous.
How will you see the world through Christ's eyes? How will you be a path for His love to flow into the world? How will your new year's resolutions reflect your gratitude for His salvation, given to you unearned and unmerited, freely and abundantly?
I gave up resolutions years ago because I hate failure. That being said, I have pushed myself to follow through with daily Bible reading and study. I probably have too many sources to keep up with them all (Jesus Calling, Max Lucado books, In Touch, online studies) but I learn something new every day. I began Max Lucado's "Before Amen" book and have really appreciated the encouragement for simple but regular prayers. All in all, this has led me to see the free grace that has been given me and to try and reflect this gift in all I say and do. A definite work in progress. Blessing to you and yours this new year.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful, Lynn. Blessings to you and yours as well!
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