“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
April is probably my favorite month of the year. In New England, it typically means the snows of winter are gone and we receive the rain that washes away the salt and sand from the roads. The temperatures get warmer and the days longer. What I enjoy most are all the fresh signs of nature; budding trees, flowers peeking up out of the ground, and all the wildlife babies. It is the sign of nature waking and new creation.
In the beginning, way back in Genesis in God's new creation and before original sin, man had a perfect and pure relationship with God. Through man's sin, a rift was created in that relationship; we became separated from God. In his care for us, God sent Jesus as an atonement for man's sin so that we might once again have a right relationship with God. Like in the Garden of Eden, man is still given a choice; will we choose God or sin? If we choose to live in Christ, we become a new creation. We die to our old sinful self and fill that void with the Holy Spirit becoming a new person. The perfect and pure relationship with God is restored. As we are faced with the daily temptation to sin, we must strive to maintain our relationship with God. To live in Christ is not a one-time event, each day is a new creation and a fresh opportunity for us to remain in Christ through the spiritual disciplines of prayer and scripture study.
God, we give thanks for a new creation, for your new creation in nature but especially the new creation of our hearts. Like Adam, we are faced each day with temptation, we ask for the help of the Holy Spirit in remaining in Christ and our righteous relationship with You. Amen.
