2 Corinthians 5:17 "If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
The other day my husband noticed that the leaves on the Japanese Maple in our front yard were voraciously being eaten up by something. Upon further observation he found a plethora of caterpillars, some still chomping away but most had already woven their chrysalises. It was an amazing sight. Each little caterpillar had meticulously wrapped itself in a leaf and proceeded to form their safe haven where they will transform into butterflies over a period of 5 to 21 days. There looked to be more than 20 of the little camouflaged sacs hanging off the branches.
I have always loved the symbolism in the beautiful metamorphosis of the butterfly. The butterfly, in itself, is the sign of a transition from an old life to a new life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that "If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! How apropos! Coincidence, I don't think so! God has a purpose for all of His creation and He must have wanted to give us a physical representation of His precious gift of salvation. The symbolism goes further than just a representation of our salvation, it's a picture of going from ignorance to a state of awareness or from a hard life of being separated from a loving God to a better life of an intimate relationship with Him.
When we ask Jesus to be the Lord of our lives, He doesn't just set out to slap little bit of paint on us and upgrade our existence, He makes us a new person! Hallelujah, Amen! The Bible says that at this point we are a new creation but I wonder if there are some of us who have been transformed yet are trying to crawl back into the cocoon where we once lived. Life is hard but even if we could go back in time, the leaves would no longer nourish us nor would the cocoon protect us. Why? Because God has made us into a new creation. And in being a new creation, we now have the opportunity and privilege to soar in His power, do His work and love on His people in this foreign land. We've been told to go forth and fly. If we trust Him and fear not, He will take us places and allow us to do things in His name that we never dreamed possible.
Spread your wings, my friend, rest in Him and fly above the subtle nuances this world presents to bring us down. Throw off the things in your past that are weighing you down or squelching your freedoms. As the Casting Crowns song says, "Its time for us to do more than just survive! We were made to thrive!" We should have unspeakable joy, unsinkable faith and love so amazing and real that we are an unstoppable force in these times of unrest and decay.
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Personalize this prayer.
Dear Lord,
I am grateful for the new life I have in You but I often struggle with hurts and challenges from the past that are holding me back. The burdens linger and stifle all the freedom that You have so graciously given me. Why does the past have such a hold on who I am now? I want to walk free from all that keeps me from moving forward and living according to Your ways. I want to be used of You. Fear shackles me and won't let me step out of my comfort zone. Please help me to break free from the bondage that swallows any freedom You've given. May Your Holy Spirit empower and strengthen me to walk in the newness of life that You've graced on me. Help me to soar to great heights for Your name sake and live victoriously until You return to take me home. Lord, God, Almighty King, Your life is everlasting and sure. Your steadfastness is comforting and has afforded me Your peace. My love for You is immeasurable and from my heart I sing Your praises at all times as I'm indebted to You for the difference you've made in my life. Show me how to face each day with the confidence in knowing You are on my side and will be working on my behalf.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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