All Things New

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


New is in vogue this time of year. As a kid, I couldn't wait to play with my "new" toys after Christmas. The same is true of my boys.  Right now, it appears as if a "new" toy bomb has exploded in our house.  As a teen, I couldn't wait to wear my "new" clothes when school started back in January. I'd have every outfit meticulously picked out for the first few days. I still get giddy about a new shirt, shoes or pair of jeans.  "New" just feels good.  As adults, most of us hope to start some "new" habits and have some "new" experiences in the coming year. Maybe you're even in a "new" school or "new" job. Maybe you're looking for a "new" house or "new" car. Maybe you hope to meet some "new" friends...maybe even 'the one.' Who knows what the New Year holds for you or me, but I can guarantee you it will be new. New disappointments, new joys, new people, new moments. Things that have never happened before will happen in 2013.   But what if you became "new"? Not your body or hairstyle. You. New heart, new spirit, new...you. That's the part that resolutions, a new sweater and a new car can't fix. It can't fix our heart. A new workout plan can give us a new outlook, but it can't change our heart. Nothing under the sun can undo all the old things we did to screw up the last year or our entire lives. Nothing. We can't unhurt the people we hurt. We can undo the sins we committed. We can't ignore our shortcomings as human beings. Our transgressions are old, and their growing in number daily. The greatest promise of the 'new-ness' offered in Jesus is that we don't have to be defined by all the old stuff. And we can be made new over and over again. It's not just a one time deal. So, here's to lots of new experiences in 2013, but most of all, here's to being made new by the only One who can