Saying Good-bye To The Old

Saying Good-bye To The Old

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17

In the depths of my rebellion against God, I went on a camping trip alone. I arrived at the campsite an atheist, but two days later, I left a changed man. Out in the woods, Jesus met me in a vivid dream, and that encounter changed my life.

When I arrived at the clearing that afternoon, I unpacked my gear and started a small fire, where I reclined and read for a while. Suddenly and without warning, I fell asleep and dreamed of heaven. In the dream, I was enveloped by vibrant colors and sounds, and I breathed in the scents of lilac and citrus. It was a dream so incredible that it seemed more real than real life. But heaven was so much better than a dream. I never wanted to leave! Though I had no idea what questions I should ask, Jesus spoke to my confusion and hurts. When I woke up next to the fire, only embers remained, but there was a new fire in my heart.

The next day, I walked down the mountain toward a shimmering waterfall, and I reflected on the person I had been and who I now was in Christ. As a symbol of my new commitment, I baptized myself in the stream. As the cool mountain water drenched my forehead, I felt my old, tarnished self washing away. I was a new creation; the old was gone. The person I used to be had died in the woods next to that fire. I would never be able to resuscitate that deceased part of me, nor would I ever want to.

When we become a new creation in Christ, it is important to reflect for a moment on what has been washed away. By acknowledging the old, we make way for the new. Only after we seeing the reflection of our previous filth in the pool can the waters of change cleanse us. Pausing to see that old reflection allows us to say good-bye to our old selves and vow that we’ll only move forward with the Lord.

TODAY’S RX

Becoming a butterfly is a journey, and the first part of flying free is to discard the chrysalis that once confined us.

Wash over me, Lord. Cleanse me of my sin, and revitalize my spirit. I desire to be made new.