I’d
like to invite you to think back to the day when you last purchased something
new. Perhaps it was a new car, a new
pair of shoes, or even a new bag of potato chips. Do you remember that “new car smell?” Or the way your new shoes were so clean and
bright? And it’s always more fun to pull
out the first whole potato chip, as opposed to reaching down in the bag for the
last few crumbs!
What is
it about something new? It makes us feel
happy and at times, it may even bring back fond childhood memories of a new
bicycle or a new puppy or kitten to love.
As humans, we are not generally attracted to old, ugly, discarded pieces
of merchandise. While someone once said
that “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” we can be assured that there
are some pieces of trash that are just that: trash. Still, we continuously find ourselves trying
to sell this “trash” at yard sales, flea markets, and the like. Or we may determine that something we own
simply needs to be placed in the infamous “file 13.” No matter how they get rid of the “junk,” people
usually follow the old adage, “Out with the old and in with the new.”
Every
365 days, we are given something new: a new year. Every year, we virtually are given the chance
to hit the reset button. We have the
chance to live a fuller life, love a lot deeper, and laugh even harder. A new year brings with it the opportunity to
make amends with family or friends or spend more time with your parents,
spouse, or children. Yet, in our rush to
get through another day, there are times when we simply stick to our old ways.
Likewise,
there are times when we keep driving the same car, even though it’s broken down
five times in the last week. God may
have even sent the money for the down payment on a new car, but we keep putting
it off until next week. And those new
shoes in the closet never get worn because they’re not “broken in” yet. So, we continue wearing our ragged pair
instead. Then we can hardly finish our work
day because of the pain in our feet from the worn out soles that offer no
support.
Similarly,
you may already be ignoring the New Year.
Instead of using this fresh start as a reset button, you may be
continuing to live as before. You might
be living in fear, feeling unloved, or struggling with no hope in sight. You may have plans to give God your life next
week, next month, or next year. Your old
life is “broken in” and while it has its flaws, a life with God may seem even
more uncomfortable, much like a new pair of shoes. Yet, a life with God will be clean and bright,
filled with God’s amazing unconditional love and grace.
God
often opens doors for us in our lives.
He may open the door to a better paying job, a new home, or a new
family. He may even open the door to a
new life with God at the center. When
God opens a door, He gives us the choice as to whether or not we will walk through
it. If we just stand there on the wrong
side of the door, nothing will change. But
if we take that first step across the threshold, everything changes.
God’s
Word says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he
is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17
NIV). This is the first day of
2013. Don’t wait any longer to begin
a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
He will restore your hope, fill you with joy, and mend your broken
heart. Throw out the old, ugly parts of
your life and replace them with new, joyous ones. Take that first step. Walk through the door. Embrace this New Year by beginning a new life
in Christ.
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer
