Being Made New

HE IS RISEN.

He is risen, indeed. 

My God is not dead, He is alive.

Jesus died on the cross in our place and he cried out, "IT IS FINISHED." Love defeated death and He conquered Hell. He rose to life in the resurrection and in that moment He made all things new. 

"And if Christ has not been raised, out preaching is useless and so is your faith." -1 Corinthians 15:14

In this Easter season, I am reminded that the resurrection changed and continues to change everything. As Paul says, if the resurrection is not true then our faith is useless. 

I believe in the resurrection. I believe that Christ defeated death and He is victorious. I believe that He is ALIVE. I believe that we are made new. 

This season allows me to reflect on the title of my blog: "You Are Making Me New." When I chose the title for my blog, my inspiration came from Gungor's song "Beautiful Things." The song is a perfect articulation of the resurrection and how Christ is continually making beautiful things out of dust. My favorite line from the song is: "Out of chaos, life is being found in You." Oh how, true that is.

There is life in Jesus Christ... because He is alive and because of the resurrection.

I am reminded by the resurrection that Christ has made all things and He is continuing to make all things new. He made me new the moment that I accepted Him as Savior and Lord and He is continuing to make me new everyday. 

There is nothing more freeing that that: He is making me new. 

And because I am made new, I am not bound by or defined by my...

... imperfections ... failures ... past ... wandering mind ... grades ... confused heart ... broken relationships ... emotions ... achievements ... do-good attitude ... tears ... attempts to earn God's love ... insecurities ... sins ... pride ... masks I hide behind ... to-do lists ... walls around my heart ... mistakes ... self-righteousness ... reputation ...

No, those things have no hold on me, for those things have been defeated and Christ is making me new. 

"Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

-1 Corinthians 15:55 

 "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." -2 Cor. 5:20-21 

Everyday He is making us new, so that "we might become the righteousness of God." It is a wonderful mystery for Christ is in us, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

My prayer is that in this Easter season that you, too, are reminded that in Christ you are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). He died the death that we deserve so that we might have life. You are no longer defined by your past or the darkness in your life, for the Lord is making you new... today and forevermore.