New Creation

10/23/2020

2 Corinthians 5:17 “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away.”

If my yielding to Jesus is true, I have no choice but to change: I immediately become a new creation. However, there is still much growing to be done. I must gain a new understanding of both my life and those around me. I must not carry a single past prejudice forward into my relationship with Jesus because “old things are passed away.” My attentions and intentions must shift to be in total submission to my Savior. Chambers writes, “Instead of God being on the side of our prejudices, He is deliberately wiping them out. It is part of our moral education to have our prejudices run straight across by His providence, and to watch how He does it. God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.” As I have walked with Jesus these many years, I find Chambers’ words to be more and more grounding and true. The Holy Spirit is continually working in me, drawing me nearer to where God wants me to be. My thoughts and actions are increasingly more aligned with the Bible, the more time I spend in The Word and in prayer.

I know I have A LONG WAY to go, but I am grateful that God has brought me through situations on my journey where I had no other choice but to release and totally surrender to Him. These times are usually ones of trial and turmoil, but they are also the times where God is stretching and molding me. I cannot help but be changed. Although difficult times in my life could have made me bitter, knowing Jesus was there carried me through it all. Amazing grace!

We are living in a time of great division in our country because of prejudices in so many areas, frankly more than I can count. It is based mostly on fear and is not of God. He wants none of it. He wants us to love Him and love our neighbor. Doesn’t that sound easy? But alas it is not, because we are self-centered creatures. Chambers has a question along with advice: “How are we going to get the life that has no lust, no self-interests, no sensitiveness to pokes, the love that is not provoked, that thinketh no evil, that is always kind? The only way is by allowing not a bit of the old life to be left; but only simple perfect trust in God, such trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want Himself.” What would happen if we all did not seek blessing but only God Himself?