"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!" ~2 Corinthians 5:17
As I write today, spring is in the air. The temperatures are rising, the days are growing longer, and new life is popping up everywhere. There are baby goats on my brother-in-law's farm, baby chicks in a pen in our garage just waiting to be taken outside to their coop, and springtime flowers blooming on our fruit trees and out in the yard as wildflowers also begin to arrive.
As if this picture of new life weren't vivid enough, it seems that in every book I read or podcast I listen to, the topic of "new life" continues to come up. When that happens, I try to stop and take notice, for when the same message keeps coming to me from multiple places, I know the Holy Spirit is trying to tell me something.
This is what I believe to be true about the season of spring, as well - a season we can so often take for granted if we do not take the time to stop and consider its spiritual significance. As new life is making its appearance, I am being reminded by the Lord of the spiritual aspect of new life in our walk with Christ.
As our Scripture passage today points out, when we come to Christ in salvation, repenting of our sins and placing our faith in Him, He brings us new life - the old passes away and the new comes. By His amazing grace, He removes our sin "as far as the east is from the west" (Psalm 113:12), credits to our account the righteousness of Christ Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21), and removes all the guilt and condemnation (Romans 8:1) we deserved for our sins, nailing them all to the cross.
Talk about new life! We now have the life of Christ (Galatians 2:20), and we can even go so far as to say we also have a "new lease on life", as it were, for now we are able to walk in the freedom, love, and grace bestowed upon us in Him. We have a new identity, and each day we wake up with a fresh slate, for His mercies are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Reflection Questions:
1) How can you take this glorious truth with you into the springtime days ahead as you are reminded of the lightness and joy of this new life that is yours in Christ?
2) What beautiful aspects of spring are the most meaningful to you and why? What do you learn from them?
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