“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
Romans 6:4 ESV
I love that last phrase, “newness of life.” The life we once lived in the old nature is now old and gone, dead to put it bluntly. The life we now live as a “new” creation, with the “new” nature, in the “new” man, is in fact brand “new.” And this is true even if we have been Christians for quite some time. The newness of life stays new because it is God’s life within us. The “new” should not wear off because God Himself is too big for us to grasp all in one day. With each new day, we have the opportunity to grow and experience more and more of Him. He’s too big and too fulfilling for us to ever feel the need to move on to something or someone else. His intention all along was to be all that we need.
So what do we do when we feel that the “new” has worn off in our walks with Him? The world has trained us to be constantly moving from one thing to another, never satisfied, always looking for the next best thing. We as Christians may know the fallacy of this culture, but we may struggle to not be overcome by it. We may have tried in our own strength to keep things “new”, but we might not be realizing that the flame that once burned brightly in our hearts for Jesus, has gone dim. We have lost our first love, and every other love that draws our attention is leaving us dry and empty. We may know the truth that God gave His whole heart to us, but we have refused to give our whole heart to Him.
We then might even start blaming God, saying, “God, where did you go?” If we are feeling the “new” wearing off, we must realize that something has changed in us, not in God. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is constant and faithful, yet we have somehow become numb to the impact of the story of the cross. We’ve classified it as just one of those kids’ Bible stories we used to hear and are anxious for a new story to blow our minds. Well, let me tell you, there will never ever be a story as powerful and as life-changing as that one. There will never ever be a God like the Father, who gave His only Son as a ransom for the people He loved. There will never be a Savior like Jesus, who endured the cross so that He could extend resurrection life to all who believe. There will never be a Helper, Comforter, and constant Companion like the Holy Spirit, who fills us each day with the presence of the almighty God. Who are we to even think that there is anything greater, and who are we to ever classify our walks with Him as old or outdated?
Yes, you may have known Jesus for 10…50…even 80 years, but if you aren’t progressing in your relationship, then something is not right. Your spiritual senses may have been dulled by Satan’s diversions. God longs to reveal Himself to you, and has graciously given you a life-time on earth to know Him better, and then an eternity after that. If your walk feels old and stale, ask Him to revive your heart for Him. Ask Him to remove the blinders from your eyes, that you may see His face again. Ask Him to renew the intimacy of your relationship, and then believe that He DID, even if you don’t feel any different.
Many Christians, who have lost this sense of “newness” want to go back to the beginning. They remember the first part of their walk with God as more meaningful than anything else. We should not be wanting to experience all of our “firsts” again with Him. We should be thanking Him that there will never be any “lasts.” Some of our “firsts” are so memorable, just because they were firsts: first car, first kiss, first job, etc. Yet all of these firsts come with lasts. Salvation is a first that has no last. There is no end to a relationship with Him. We must not wish to go back to day one, for we would forfeit all the growth that He has allowed us to go through. We must let the “everlasting” quality of our relationship with Him be the very thing that keeps it “new.”
Your Fellow Able Mom,
Celeste
Lord, help me to recognize that the only new thing I need each day is more of You. Let me never forget that I received all of You at salvation, but that I have forever and then some to figure out just what that means. Help me to trust You fully to sustain our relationship and to keep the “new” from wearing off.
Connect with Celeste:
Email: cclaborn23@gmail.com
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