old made new...

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come,"
2 Corinthians 5:17

I can remember as a little girl, getting a new dress or a new pair of shoes. There was something about wearing that piece of clothing for the first time. The cloth was spotless, stainless, wrinkle-free. They had that "new" smell, that only comes from the department store. I usually felt really pretty, or now as I have matured, I've identified this feeling as false confidence. I say false because it does not last.

"Repent then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord," Acts 3:19

Repentance is not just "saying you're sorry" to God. Repentance is a mental change. It is a decision to let go of the wrong and grab a hold of the right. Its a decision to turn away from evil and walk back into the son-light.

I guess to bring this into focus, grace is something that is so misunderstood. Grace isn't a guilt-trip. Grace is also not a "get out of jail free" card or even the "collect $200 pass go" card.  Grace is like one of those cards, but instead of just a couple per game, you get an unlimited amount. Grace merits a response. The response is our lives, our souls, our entire being surrendered for the cause of Jesus Christ. By receiving grace, we accept the responsibility of responding.

Truly receiving grace is humbly soul drenching. To think that Jesus Christ eternally petitions before the Father on our behalf. that because he hold the keys to the gates of Hell we can accept the gift of eternal reconciliation to God. wow.

so. now what do you do? you've messed up. fallen flat on your face because you stupidly thought that you knew better than the creator of the universe.

"So we fix our eyes on not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal," 2 Corinthians 4:18

That is the answer. accept grace. let it wash over you. but don't stop there. let it overflow out of you. let it be the source of what you do, say and think. let it be the reason you breathe. God's grace covers us. completely.  now go. live by his grace, forgiving others as you have been forgiven. loving others as you have been loved. what a blessing it is to be the hand and feet of Lord Jesus Christ. what a blessing indeed.

cm