Redefining New - Part 4

We've already spent quite a bit of time on what it means to be new, so if you're a newbie to this series you can catch up here:

How can you be who you already are?   If your thoughts are anything like mine, I need some practical answers because I don't want to be like the Athenians, always looking for something new, left to my on devices, that's where I'll be!

To find out the how, we need to look at Galatians 6 -

May it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.  For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Galatians 6:14-16

There was big debate amongst the people about whether you had to be circumcised or not.  Paul puts the argument to rest by saying that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision meant anything, they weren't important, but what was important was being a new creation. 

Circumcision was performed by the Jews to symbolize being set apart.  It was a rule they followed, so to speak.  It was something they could "do".  What Paul is saying is the law they followed, or the "good-girl Christian rules" we follow, are meaningless.  They don't make a difference.  What was important was the rule of being brand new.  This should be a relief to us, friends!   It's exciting to me!  It's not up to me or my actions, my list of dos and don'ts, whether or not I succeed in fitting the Christian mold, it's about who I am, and His word says I am brand new if I am in Christ. (2 Cor 5:17)

I'll give you a minute to dance around in relief and excitement........

Now that we've celebrated, let's look at the next verse -

And those who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Galatians 6:16

Those who walk by this rule...What rule?  The importance of being a new creation.  
The world rule is pretty neat here.  It is equivalent to a word describing a rod or a piece of wood that something is fastened to keep it straight.   What happens to your arm if you break it and don't have a cast put on the arm while it grows and heals?  The broken arm will heal crooked.

What do you do when you break a finger?  You bind it with something to keep it straight, a popsicle stick works wonders!

Sometimes we have to stake a small sapling to help it grow into a straight, beautiful tree.

Similar to all these examples, we have to bind ourselves to the importance of being a new creation to keep us walking straight on His path, to keep us growing in the direction of the things of God.

And when we walk by this rule, we have peace and mercy upon us!  I don't know about you, but I could always use some peace and I need all of God's mercy a girl can get.

What can we do to begin this year as who we are, NEW?

N - No.  Ask God if there is anything in my life I need to say, "No" to.  Whether it be activities, habits, relationships, if it doesn't reflect who God says I am, I should say no to it.  This will probably be hard, and it may be painful, but it's not who I am, and I can't go around being someone I'm not.  I am new.  I am not old.  Old is gone.  New has come.  If we go around acting like the old us, we're faking it!

E - Explore Him.  Spend time in prayer getting to know Him.  Dig into His word, one verse at a time if you need to, so that you can learn more about Him.  The more you know Him, the more like Him you will see yourself become.

W - Walk and Worship.   Walk through each day as you are, brand new.  Tie yourself to the importance of being a new creation and worship Him with your life and your choices.  You may not see the difference at first, but if we believe Revelation 21:5, we will see how He makes ALL things NEW!

We'll wrap up this series on Redefining N.E.W. next time, and I just might have a gift for you!  {wink}

Oh, daughter of the King, you are worth more to Him that you could ever know.

XOXO,
Amy