FAITH FOR TODAY: Something new

I think everybody likes to get something new.  We relish that new car smell.  Many women love new shoes, a lot of men love getting new tools.  Children are always thrilled at new toys.  On the grocery shelves, laundry detergent is always “New and Improved.”  Auto manufacturers are always promoting the newest model, the brand new features, new safety features, and new designs.

So here is my question, if we love the new so much, why are we so afraid of change?  If something is new, that implies that some change doesn’t it?  But when we adopt a change ourselves, we have some control over it.  That sense of control probably helps us adjust to change better.

Let’s face it though; much of the change that happens in our lives is out of our control.  The world around us changes fast.  Whether it is the shows on TV or the songs on the radio, things are different than they were just a couple of years ago.  Technology has invaded our lives and brought changes we never imagined.  Remember when we used to get letters in the mail?  Now almost everyone uses e-mail or instant messaging.

What we need to remember is that no matter how out of control we may feel, God is in control.  Even though changes may seem to overwhelm us, our Lord is not taken by surprise.  In fact, he often uses those changes to move us forward, to get us back on target for him.  God wants to do something new in us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 NIV)

God’s plan for us is that we embrace our newness in him.  And here is the powerful truth, God’s new work in you and me is based on the old, old story.  The story of Christ on the cross and of the empty tomb is a story of new beginnings, of fresh hope and new found joy.  Jesus has been doing something new in his people for 2,000 years.

Even today, God is doing a new work.  He is reaching out to young people with new music and new technology.  God is using the internet and international travel to spread his truth around the world.  Don’t be afraid of something new; use it to share that old, old story of Jesus and his love!