Fresh Start/A New Creation

2 Corinthians 5: 16 Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. 17 Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! 18All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. 19 God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. 20 We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you. 21 How? you say. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God. (The Message)

All who come to Jesus Christ are given a fresh start. A new heart, a new mind, a renewed spirit! We can't look at people the "old" or same way we used to because our new life in Jesus Christ has given to us a fresh perspective towards God and God's people. We have been given the ability to see that on the inside those who have surrendered to Jesus have received, like us, a fresh, new start. Our "old life" has left us and a new life beckons. How? God has made right the old relationship we used to have with Him. Now we have a new relationship, with orders to make right our relationships with others. And all of this was through Jesus Christ who gave us and the entire world this fresh start with all sins now forgiven. We should be happy to tell others that we have been forgiven and they can be as well. We should be glad to claim the label of "Christ's Representative" to all who will hear us. The message should be loud and clear, what do we gain in holding on to our differences? Absolutely nothing! We now enter into God's work to make things right between all people. We are God's friends now because God sought us first. All because God was willing to put our sins in Jesus Christ who was without sin, just so we can be at peace with God.

The best earthly comparison I can make with this was a recurring experience in my youth. There was a Dr. Pepper Bottling Company a little off the direct way to school. There were certain days when they would bottle the red soda that we all loved and three or four of us would rush to the plant and look longingly into the huge glass window at the endless parade of freshly bottled red sodas. With our puppy dog eyes begging for a sample, the man inside would finally motion to us to come to the door and he would hand each of us a cold bottle of red soda. We had to drink it there and return the bottle to him, but we ran home excited that such a wonderful thing had been shared with us! We would each run to our homes and tell our younger siblings about what we had experienced. Our excitement became theirs as well as their desire to share in what we had received. If soft drinks could do it then for us, why can't the greatest news in the world do the same even today? After all, in Christ Jesus, we have that which quenches our soul with a beverage that is living.

PRAYER: Loving God, for Your love we are thankful. For the newness of life that is ours through Jesus we are also thankful and ask that You give us courage and boldness to share it with others. It is too good a gift to keep for ourselves. Help us help others find the newness of life in Jesus Christ. This we pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde

Thought for the Day

Our old life is gone; let us enjoy the new one!