Nature lovers…
Today’s entry piggybacks a bit on yesterday’s, but it’s less controversial. I think. Neil, in his (God love him!) engineer way of explaining things, talks about our old nature being switched out for a new one, since we won’t be able to fit both.
The idea that salvation is as much about me becoming something new, here and now, as it is about where I will go when I die is kind of awesome. When we become believers, our spirit is changed into something new and amazing and beautiful (I would love to see that!), and it’s the same spirit that will spend eternity before God’s throne.
And since that’s the case, why would I be interested in finding new and creative ways to sin? Because of Christ’s life in me, I want what He wants. Well, increasingly, anyway.
My part is to surrender totally. One of my favorite songs at this moment has a truly great title: All In. (It’s by Lifehouse, in case that would have been bugging you) God, what do you want? I’m all in.
And if you’re curious about yesterday’s controversy, feel free to stroll through the comments. No blog followers were harmed in the making of that post… Or the comments that followed…
Regeneration, I love that concept. What was, no longer is. The really awesome thing when you look up the word regeneration is the picture of rebirth, restoration of the original that was somehow injured or damaged.
ReplyDeleteSo our nature at birth makes us "children of wrath" and dead by sin. It's all we know, right? We started that way and often times refer to is as our original nature. But, our true original nature, our true design is to be in relationship with Him. It was broken and now we all start from that broken position.
When we receive Jesus, we are regenerated back to our true original design! The one intended for us at creation not what we were born into. The injured and broken part is restored back to the original healthy condition! That is an awesome picture!
Jesus, thank you for loving us so that you came to allow us to be restored back to the original design. As we walk through our days, help us to continue to choose the original over the counterfeit.
I enjoy the "controversy"! Its like I'm attending my very own bible college! A long over due correspondence course in my growth in Christ!
ReplyDeleteBrandy Bug - you know, online courses are all the rage right now... :)
ReplyDeleteToday’s devotional reminded me, maybe in the wording from Neil, of the day I was saved. It was in fifth grade and we were in chapel. I remember the pastor telling us we could take our sin filled heart of stone and transform it into a soft and squishy heart. I soo wanted that soft and loving heart.
ReplyDelete“God changed you from darkness to light, from sinner to saint. There is a newness about you that wasn't there before.”
Thank you Lord for your daily transforming work in me and for the squishy heart you gave me in exchange for the stone one.