New Creation

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”     —2 Corinthians 5:17

Being from Punxsutawney (although I never actually lived in Punxsy, I did pastor in its outskirts for seven years), I was very interested when a movie came out in 1993 with the title,
Groundhog Day. For those who don’t know or maybe don’t care, Punxsutawney is the home of the world famous weather prognosticating groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. In the movie, Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an egocentric TV weatherman from Pittsburgh who must unwillingly report on the annual Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney. Each morning he awakes to repeat the same day over and over again.

Several things made the movie entertaining for me: the comedic antics of Bill Murray, the romantic plot between Murray and his news producer played by Andie MacDowell, and the parallel between the movie’s silly plot and real life. In reality, much of life seems like we repeat the same day, same chores, and same problems day after day after day. The book of Ecclesiastes agrees, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun” (1:9). Many of the religious systems of the world have embraced the idea of re-incarnation to explain the way life appears to be.

I will admit that even as a Christian, many days of my life seem like I am repeating the same duties and activities. Yes, at times, I could agree with the writer of Ecclesiastes, “There is nothing new under the sun.” But, out of my relationship with God through Jesus Christ, I see something new almost every day. On the days I don’t see newness, I am probably to blame for not paying attention or for being preoccupied with some selfish trouble of my own. The creative

God who made the universe and all of us lives in me and every other Christian believer by the Holy Spirit.

My summer has been a repeat of many other ones, too busy. But even in the busyness, if I face life with my spiritual eyes open, many new things come into view. Last week, I watched karaoke at a wedding reception. It was awesome. Why didn’t anybody think of that sooner? This weekend I go fishing at Raystown Lake with three new fishing buddies. Who knows, we may even catch a striper or two. Last week I got to pray with a young boy to receive Christ in morning worship. It doesn’t get any better than that. To my surprise, at this writing, I have received two responses to my offer to give away Bible storybooks from last week’s article. As long as I don’t focus on troubles and boredom, life is full of surprises.

If I am a follower of Jesus, if I am in Christ, then I not only experience something new every day, but I myself am a new creation. The old gospel song says, “He’s still workin’ on me, to make me what I ought to be.” Yes, God is still working on me. I am a work in progress. Every day, if I allow the Spirit to have His way, God takes out more of the old and puts in more of the new. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God...” Not only do I get to see new things, I get to experience God working in and through my life. You can too if you will allow God to make your life new. God is a perfect gentleman. He will not force His way into your life, but the moment you open your life to His love and grace through Jesus Christ, God’s creative Holy Spirit begins to make all things new.