2 Corinthians 5:17
New International Version (NIV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!
If anyone has had a child, specifically a girl within the last ten years who has watched Disney Channel, you know who the characters are to the right are. The High School Musical cast is singing "I Want Fabulous" and it is a cute song, and I will admit I have watched this movie and the other two that go along with it quite a few times. It is the Grease of this current generation, and to tell you the truth, I love the music and general theme of each movie. But let's get down to the point of this weeks blog. The song starts with the very first words being, "Out with the old, in with the new, goodbye clouds of grey, hello skies of blue." And of course, Sharpay is your typical spoiled rich brat who has everything and wants even more. But that is not really my point, but rather the out with the old, in with the new part. You see, when we die to ourselves and become a new creation in Christ Jesus, the old you is gone and the new you is here! Clouds of grey or an eternal life without God is gone, and an eternity of blue skies in the presence of Jesus is yours.
But not just in heaven...before that, on earth things will and should be different. We want fabulous, and God does want to fill our hearts desires, thus giving us what we want, within reason of course. Does this mean once we are saved by the blood of Christ we should expect to be like Sharpay, and demand only the best of everything and God will miraculously make it appear? NOPE!!! And there is a difference between God fulfilling the desires of our hearts, and just making us spoiled brats. Life as a Christian doesn't mean money, fame, and rose petals falling from the sky...but rather a more purpose filled life. A better life can often actually be one that is striped of all the worldly things that distract us from the God who loves us beyond our comprehension. Often fabulous, is simple and uncomplicated, so when God shows up, we aren't preoccupied with "stuff" and miss seeing Him and the work He is doing in our lives.
Seriously, busy does not equal better...but often just that busy. Kind of like seat work at school, and I always hated seat work because in essence, it is just busy work with little to be truly gained by doing it. And Satan loves it when we are busy, even if it is with "church" stuff. Even he knows when we are distracted, we aren't at our best. We want fabulous, and our Father wants fabulous for us too, but in a different way than we often think. He wants lives changed, lives fulfilled with the new us, not a newer version...literally a whole new you. One with a new mindset, new world views, new standards, new prospective on everything, and we like new. But new is scary, because we don't know exactly what to expect, and we like to know what comes next. Which is why I like to go to the movies with someone who has already seen the movie. Then, I can ask them what is going to happen next. This is where FAITH comes in...God is like that person who already knows what is going to happen, and we have to walk in faith that He will help guide us to the most purpose and fulfilled life, the one He already knows can be ours. We just need to listen, pay attention, and then obey.
So, might I suggest we all take a long hard look at our lives, and our kids lives too. What in our lives is just busy work, that seat work that has little to do with living our lives for our Savior. Things that distract us and our families lives from pursuing the true desires of our hearts, and making us the new in Christ we should be showing the world. If the new you is here, chances are there are things from the old that still need to be taken to the curb and tossed out for good. Pray about it, make a list maybe if you are like me and like seeing things on paper, and I challenge you to remove at least one thing that is keeping you preoccupied with you, and focus more on Him. Simplify, slow down, and live the new. I think you will be amazed at what was right in front of your face, but you failed to see because the busy was blurring your vision.
If anyone has had a child, specifically a girl within the last ten years who has watched Disney Channel, you know who the characters are to the right are. The High School Musical cast is singing "I Want Fabulous" and it is a cute song, and I will admit I have watched this movie and the other two that go along with it quite a few times. It is the Grease of this current generation, and to tell you the truth, I love the music and general theme of each movie. But let's get down to the point of this weeks blog. The song starts with the very first words being, "Out with the old, in with the new, goodbye clouds of grey, hello skies of blue." And of course, Sharpay is your typical spoiled rich brat who has everything and wants even more. But that is not really my point, but rather the out with the old, in with the new part. You see, when we die to ourselves and become a new creation in Christ Jesus, the old you is gone and the new you is here! Clouds of grey or an eternal life without God is gone, and an eternity of blue skies in the presence of Jesus is yours.
But not just in heaven...before that, on earth things will and should be different. We want fabulous, and God does want to fill our hearts desires, thus giving us what we want, within reason of course. Does this mean once we are saved by the blood of Christ we should expect to be like Sharpay, and demand only the best of everything and God will miraculously make it appear? NOPE!!! And there is a difference between God fulfilling the desires of our hearts, and just making us spoiled brats. Life as a Christian doesn't mean money, fame, and rose petals falling from the sky...but rather a more purpose filled life. A better life can often actually be one that is striped of all the worldly things that distract us from the God who loves us beyond our comprehension. Often fabulous, is simple and uncomplicated, so when God shows up, we aren't preoccupied with "stuff" and miss seeing Him and the work He is doing in our lives.
Seriously, busy does not equal better...but often just that busy. Kind of like seat work at school, and I always hated seat work because in essence, it is just busy work with little to be truly gained by doing it. And Satan loves it when we are busy, even if it is with "church" stuff. Even he knows when we are distracted, we aren't at our best. We want fabulous, and our Father wants fabulous for us too, but in a different way than we often think. He wants lives changed, lives fulfilled with the new us, not a newer version...literally a whole new you. One with a new mindset, new world views, new standards, new prospective on everything, and we like new. But new is scary, because we don't know exactly what to expect, and we like to know what comes next. Which is why I like to go to the movies with someone who has already seen the movie. Then, I can ask them what is going to happen next. This is where FAITH comes in...God is like that person who already knows what is going to happen, and we have to walk in faith that He will help guide us to the most purpose and fulfilled life, the one He already knows can be ours. We just need to listen, pay attention, and then obey.
So, might I suggest we all take a long hard look at our lives, and our kids lives too. What in our lives is just busy work, that seat work that has little to do with living our lives for our Savior. Things that distract us and our families lives from pursuing the true desires of our hearts, and making us the new in Christ we should be showing the world. If the new you is here, chances are there are things from the old that still need to be taken to the curb and tossed out for good. Pray about it, make a list maybe if you are like me and like seeing things on paper, and I challenge you to remove at least one thing that is keeping you preoccupied with you, and focus more on Him. Simplify, slow down, and live the new. I think you will be amazed at what was right in front of your face, but you failed to see because the busy was blurring your vision.
No comments:
Post a Comment