Daily devotional, July 12, 2024 Fresh start
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
Isaiah 43:19
In most movies, TV series, and novels, moving to a new place is considered as a “fresh start.” Usually, the heroine of the story gets to leave her past behind as she endeavors to reboot her life in new surroundings, a new job, and new people.
For most people who are trying to escape their past or leave their current difficult circumstances, a new beginning sounds like a magical formula that could transform the life they are living. Until the ghosts of their past come to haunt them. From there, they will realise that the restart they worked so hard for is just short-lived.
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is offering us a true restart. In Him we can live our lives anew, in a clean slate, with a new heart. He offers us a life reboot that lasts to eternity.
"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
So how do we get this restart? When we confess, repent, and step away from sinning, and surrender our lives to Him by obeying his teachings and commands we get to die to our sins and live a new life. The exact same power that resurrected our Messiah after he defeated death and came back to life, will give us a spiritual rebirth that will empower us to turn away from the life we once lived and become the creation God wants us to be.
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"
1 Peter 1:3
A quote from one of the sermons of Prophet Ezekiel underscored that a renewed life is a result of repentance, transformation and conversion of hardened hearts. Such truth remains applicable to us present-day people because while only God can transform hardened hearts,we ourselves should be willing to repent from our sins.
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
Ezekiel 36:26
A practical example of repentance and transformation can be seen in the life of King David. In one of his most popular psalms, Psalm 51 he pleaded to the Lord to forgive his failures, cleanse him from unrighteousness, and give Him another chance to live a meaningful life:
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."
Psalm 51:7-12
Like David, we can also experience restoration if we choose to pursue the real fresh start that only Jesus Christ can offer. As they said, we can never change our past, but we can always change our future. Once we decide to stop living the sinful life that taints our past and present circumstances with fear, shame and guilt, we can turn to Jesus, and claim the new life that He promises.
“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind."
Isaiah 65:17
This new life will enable us to rebuild what was an otherwise broken existence. If we will only allow Him to mold us into something new, then we can live a new life that is blessed with God’s presence and His peace.
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
Ephesians 4:22-24
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 51 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Are you in need of a fresh start from the Lord?
Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your offer of a new beginning. Allow me to fully live this new life you have given me, by delighting in your words and following your commands. I want to live a life that is marked with your presence and peace. Amen.
