One of God's Favorite Words

This message was written by James MacDonald for his "Weekly Walk" newsletter.

Do you like new things? I do. I like new cars, new seasons, new restaurants and new kids (not in that order). To me, new is a really good feeling. I like new jobs (even though I’m in somewhat of a rut at this point—and sixteen years happily so). I like getting new clothes. I like having new friends, but here’s a wonderful truth: God loves new things. Do you know that about your heavenly Father? He loves new stuff too!

Did you know that God loves new things? All the way through the Bible, He is talking about the new things He has given to us: • God gives us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26).
• God gives us a new spirit (Ezekiel 18:31).
• God puts a new song in the hearts of His children (Psalm 40:3).
• He has given us a new name (Revelation 2:17).
• He has given us a new self (Ephesians 4:24).
• He makes us wholly new. Second Corinthians 5:17 pulls it all together and says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”God loves new stuff. In fact, among the final words God will speak in human history, will be: “Behold, I make all things new ” (Revelation 21:5).
The Christian life is about being new, different, and changed. If your faith in Christ has made no difference in you, then ask yourself if it has made any difference to God. If you are not changing, being transformed little by little, day by day feeling His victory, then what’s up with your faith? The people who are in Christ are being changed. The words “newness of life” from Romans 6:4 translate a Greek word which does not mean new in time, but new in character, new in quality. A different person.

Now don’t miss this: God wants to make you new. That is His thing. He is trying to change you. That is why it says we should “ walk in newness of life” (verse 4).

Think back to the time before you committed your life to Christ. Do you remember how you were slaves to certain sins? No matter how you tried, you fell back into those same patterns over and again. The good news is that when we confess Christ as Savior, God connects us with the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and the power of sin in our life is broken. Sin may try to get our attention but it cannot boss us around anymore.