Folks, I have been a little busy with the little angel in this picture. Meet my niece, Lucy Hughes Bjornerud! Isn’t she great? I think she is the cutest thing my eyes have seen in quite a while! (No, I am not partial at all, ha! )
With our Spring Series what is more beautiful than the birth of a new baby? Spring is new birth, new growth, new beginnings, new chances, new clothes, new shoes, new habits, new chores, new, new, new! I love it! Lucy represents all these things and more. We will watch her grow and begin her sweet little life. We will see her take chances and we will surely see her go through untold amounts of new clothes and shoes! We will watch her grow and develop new habits, she will learn to work and do chores. We get the privilege of watching all things new in Lucy.
When we make the all important decision to accept Jesus,we too are made new. “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
We literally get to start over. Spring cleaning is out with the old and in with the new. This is what happens to us when we are made new in Christ Jesus. He took all the bad about us, covered it with His blood and made us righteous. We are changed. We are changed for the new growth we will experience in walking with Him. We are changed and experience all sorts of new beginnings. We are changed and we get new chances. All those past mistakes don’t matter, God is looking at the “new us”. We are changed and we get new clothes according to Isaiah 61:10. We even get new shoes! Ephesians 6:15 in the New Living Translation Bible says, “ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.”
Salvation or being ‘born again’ as we often hear it called also brings new habits. Just as Lucy will learn how to walk, talk, play, and live, we get to do the same thing. Belonging in God’s family is call for life change. Jesus died for us so we could receive this new life. It was a free gift and there is nothing we can do to pay Him back. My sister and brother in law don’t expect Lucy to pay them back just because they gave her life. Jesus doesn’t want to be paid back either. But the most amazing thing happens…..when we are given this new life because of Jesus, we want to be different, we want to change and indeed we are changed. It doesn’t happen overnight just as Lucy won’t be 21 overnight, thank You Lord! What does happen is our desires change. We don’t want to go to those old places, we don’t want to continue in the same old bad habits. We want to live a new life, we want new habits. We will want to work and do “chores” for the Kingdom of God. Simply put, we will want to serve Him. Now I realize Lucy will not naturally want to “serve” her parents, she will not naturally want to obey them, but the example her parents give her will make her want to do these things. The example of Jesus makes us want to do these things as well.
So the next time you see a sweet new baby, think about yourself. Have you been made new, have you been born again? If you have been then I hope Lucy challenges you to grow in your relationship with Jesus. If you haven’t been made new, you can be today. Pray this prayer with me:
Lord Jesus, I believe in You. I believe You died for my sins and because of that I can be made new today. So right now come into my heart and my life Lord Jesus. I believe You are the Son of God and now You are my Savior. Thank You for doing this for me, You didn’t have to but I am so glad You did. Thank You that You don’t expect me to pay You back, but Lord Jesus I sure would like my life to be a big thank you note to You everyday. So with Your help, I want to be like a new baby and grow into all You created me to be. In Jesus name, Amen.
Now, I think I need to go see Lucy……I need to breathe in the new! Don’t you love that new baby smell!
Living Free,
Rene’
What a beauty she is! Love this post!