Out with the old, in with the new...

Out with the old, in with the new...

At one time or another, most of us have heard someone say, “Out with the old, in with the new.” Hearing this can trigger positive or negative feelings, depending on the circumstances that surround the statement. It can mean getting a shiny new replacement for something that is old and worn out, like a new car, or a new appliance. A new haircut or a new outfit can make any girl feel cheerful! However, sometimes it can mean being replaced at work, with a younger, smarter person, or perhaps finding out your friend has found a new friend and no longer wants a relationship with you. Sometimes we can even feel replaced in our safe places, like in our church or in our family. (Ouch, that really hurts!) “Out with the old, in with the new” can be a happy or painful experience depending on what or how something or someone is being replaced. But, I have some really wonderful news!

In the Bible, we can learn about a very beautiful replacement. In fact, that replacement is the best news that I have ever heard! Here it is…Jesus Christ came to earth as a tiny baby in order to die so that we could live eternally. He was completely sinless, fully God and fully man, and we are completely sinful, yet He stood in our place to save us from eternal death. Because of God’s rich mercy and grace, He sent His Son as a replacement for us, to bear the weight of our sin. The Bible says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) We were enemies with God and He loved us so much that He gave His only Son for us! This was God's plan from the beginning when Adam and Eve sinned. The Bible is the story of redemption from the beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation. What a beautiful message to remember, especially at the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas!

The other really great news is that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He fills us with His Holy Spirit and we become a new creation in Christ! The Bible says this, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Christ justified us (paid for our sin) when He died for our sin. He imputed His righteousness to us. (because there is nothing we can do on our own to be righteous) Now, as His children, we have right standing with God through Christ. He is now sanctifying us (He is making us more like Christ). As we study the Bible, we learn more about God, we desire to be more like Christ and to live obedient lives, because people who love God want to be obedient to Him and His Holy Word. We do this because we love God and not to earn our salvation.

So, even though this world can sometimes make us feel like we are old, worn out, used up, and not valuable, this is not the truth (my friend would say, “this is a lie from the pit of hell”). The truth is that we have a Savior who loved us enough to die for us and He desires a relationship with us. If we belong to Him, we are always valuable to Him, and He wants us to be His hands and feet to the world. He wants us to love others and to show His grace to the world. He makes us useful! This is a great encouragement to me! I hope it is to you as well. God loves you! He has a purpose for you! If you have questions, leave a comment and I’ll do my best to help. If you do not have a relationship with God, please find someone to talk to about it, maybe a friend or a pastor. It is the most important decision you can ever make! I hope you have a blessed Christmas season celebrating the birth of our gracious and loving Savior.