New Life

Today is the first day of spring. This beautiful season of blooming flowers and such always reminds me of new life.  God’s beautiful creation seems to become vibrant with colors and comes to life this time of year.  Springtime always means Easter is right around the corner.  Unfortunately, the true meaning of Easter seems to always be dampened with bunnies and eggs.  Before you get disgusted and call me a prude, my kids will be hiding and/or hunting eggs along with many others.  It is so much fun for them and us too!  

New life.  So how do you make a life that already exists a new life?  What exactly does that mean?  If a life is made new … there had to be death of the old life.  So, without death, there is no life. 

If we are still here on this earth and get to experience a new life, our old self has to die.  We become a new person.  

Even if we, or a loved one, experiences death then we still experience a new, eternal life in heaven. 

But how?  How is all of this possible? What has to be done? What has to be said? Nothing and nothing.  It is strictly if we believe.  Being a Christian, a Christ follower, is hard for non-believers to understand because it is based on faith.  Nothing that can be seen or touched… simply a belief.  Yet so difficult…faith alone.  

Many years ago, a baby was born in a stable.  This baby was no ordinary baby.  This baby was born of a virgin.  This baby grew up and lived on this earth and experienced life much like we do today….(well sort of, minus the Lady Gaga’s and such).  He performed many miracles and served others. He taught that love was and still is the greatest commandment.   He lived life and never sinned.  He loved the people of this world so much- sinners, you and me, that he gave his life for us.  He died for us.  He experienced a cruel death by being nailed to a cross.  The story doesn’t end there- Praise the Lord!  Three days later, he rose from the grave.  

This is the gospel story…Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection.  This is the death that gives new life.  A life that allows us to travel around each and every day with His Spirit in us guiding us.  His Spirit in us makes us different from the world.  We choose differently because we are Spirit filled. Our lives begin to look different because we become reflections of Him.  Are we perfect? No…we simply have forgiveness and hope when we screw it all up.  Sure, sometimes that Spirit gets squashed and our flesh overtakes us because we are sinners.  But because of a death on a cross, we are forgiven.  We are made new.  We get a do over…  IF we believe. Who in this life doesn’t need another chance?

Do you believe? 

Romans 10:9 

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  

2 Corinthians 5:17 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!