New Creation

 

There are days when, just like anyone else,  I go through the motions. Truth be told, there have been weeks...even months...when I have just gone through the motions of life. During these times, I don't notice what God is doing in my life or in the lives of those around me. It is much the same as driving a long stretch of interstate with the cruise control on.

 

Then, there are times when God grabs hold of me and shakes me awake and suddenly I see all these amazing things that He has done while I was just cruising through life.

 

This week God grabbed hold of me.

 

A friend from high school has been given the opportunity to serve as editor for an online Christian magazine. (He is praying about the decision.) We talked about the possibility of me contributing to the magazine  and I promised to pray that he have a clear direction from God as to whether not this is something he should get involved in. Talking to him about this opportunity made me realize the tremendous work God has done in my life, in his life and in the lives of many of the people I've known through the years. We are not the same people we were back then, and while some of the change can be attributed to "growing up", much of the change is a direct result of the impact Christ has had on our lives.

 

I am so thankful that Christ pursued me. I am so thankful that He drew me to himself.  When I stop and think about who I WAS compared to who I AM, I am left breathless. I am an example of the promise in 2Corinthians 5:17 For if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation.  I am far from good. I have LOTS of room for improvement. I fail every single day at one thing or another....sometimes it feels like I fail at everything. But I know this: I am not the same person I was before I knew Christ. I don't just follow a stricter set of rules, or live a more moral life... I am a different person. Christ changed everything about me, all the way down to what I desire in the deep recesses of my heart. Christ took the mess that I'd made of me and is gradually restoring me to more and more of the woman He created me to be.

 

I Love that God reveals Himself to me over and over again. I love that HE can take my fears, my failures, my weakness, and my brokenness and use them for HIS glory. I love that He continually surprises me with the enormity of Himself. I love that He is more powerful than my sin, my shame and my past. I love that He is completely trustworthy. I love that He continues to challenge me and grow me. I love that He still draws me to Himself.

 

And I love that he takes hell-bent teenagers and grows them into God serving, Christ-following adults who want nothing more than to share His love with others.