Brand New…

Who doesn’t like something that’s brand new? Like a newborn baby or a puppy or even a new car? Things that are new and shiny and not yet spoiled tend to appeal to all of us. The problem is that no matter how well we take care of the new things we have, they always get that scratch or ding or just get spoiled.

If it’s a new situation or relationship we are talking about eventually we begin to take things for granted, we tend to start noticing the other person’s faults more. The intensity of our feelings tends to cool down.

This also happens with our relationship with God.  When we are new shiny Believers we are so excited. Just being around a new believer is energizing and fun. They want to tell the world about what Christ has done for them. Then after time the newness wears off.  They start to act like everybody else around them.  Or, they conform back to the world, instead of staying transformed.  Why is this?

I think in all these situations it is because of two reasons…everything breaks down in this world because of the sinful state we live in and because we insist on living in our own power instead through God’s power.  In other words the problems is us and sin.

The sinful world we live in and the curse that we are under seems to drag us down constantly. This is the reason everything decays and breaks down.  Just look at your car…is it as nice as the day you bought it…no.  Just look at your body…is your skin as clear and smooth as the day you were born? Again, no.  Decay and a downward trend are the natural order of things in our world.

Also, we try to live our lives and conduct our relationships in our own power. Clearly, this is a terrible idea as we seem to make a mess out of things every time.  We use our limited knowledge and wisdom instead of leaning on the One who knows everything and has perfect understanding and wisdom.

And we forget about the One who makes all things New. 

I find myself longing for the day when all this decay will be over.  Oh how I long for all things to be made new and shiny and away from this curse of sin. 

I long for the better country.  And I hope and trust that even the biggest messes I have made can be recreated and healed by the one who is perfection.