A New Creation

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

Oh, the new year! I can’t believe it’s 2016! I can remember 2000 like it was yesterday. (Y2K, anyone?) I love the freshness of the new year. I enjoy everything new- the first blank page of a new journal, the smell of a new leather purse, the feel of opening a newly bound book, the squishiness of a new baby, etc. There is just something so hopeful and promising about a new year, a blank slate. New goals to accomplish, new plans to be made…

But, as believers, our newness doesn’t come at the beginning of every new year. Our blank slate began the moment the Holy Spirit breathed new life into us when we placed our trust in Jesus. At that moment, we were made new again. Everything about our old life passed away and a new one began. That doesn’t mean everything about who we are, our personalities and our experiences were erased; but it does mean that our heart was made new, our perspectives and our motivations changed. We were called to no longer live for self but for Him. Our identities were no longer wrapped up in who the world says we are, but in who He says we are in Him.

While I love the freshness of the new year and the fun of making resolutions, I can quickly lose hope as I almost instantaneously fail at one or more of my said resolutions as the year moves along. But, the promise of salvation is not only in that moment do we become a new creation, but God also promises that each day spent with Him is new.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 (ESV)

Every new day is a chance to start over, a chance to experience His mercies and allow him to move us along the path He had marked out for us. My prayer for myself, for my family and for all of you is that we would sink deeper into God’s love, experience His new mercies every day and let His mercy and love motivate us to walk as new creations.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)