I am a new creation!
Hello Everyone,
As the Easter celebrations come to an end, all the chocolate's been eaten and we get stuck back into our everyday lives; it is easy to quickly forget what Easter really represents and the eternal life changing impact it has on us as Christians.
The bottom line is that the miracle of Jesus' resurrection is not a seasonal celebration, a once a year event or an excuse for a family gathering, but the cornerstone on which our faith is built. The cry 'He is risen' not only marks the good news that Jesus came to earth fully God, yet fully man, was slain and then rose again; but that this happened so our sins could be forgiven and we could, once again, be fully at one with the Lord God our Father.
I love the New Living Bible translation of 2 Corinthians 5:17 'This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! ' Whatever we have done, said or thought has been washed clean by the blood of the Lamb; and no matter how terrible and unforgivable we think these things are, the Easter story means that 'now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus'. (Romans 8:1).
The truth is that God forgives us the moment we sin, and even more amazing is that He forgets our sins immediately too. But, because the accuser is constantly whispering in our ear and reminding us of past faults and failings, and we then allow self-critical tapes to play round and round in our heads, we often miss the very point of the redemption of the cross, and live lives of guilt and shame. When you stop and think about this for a moment, it is bonkers that we constantly beat ourselves up for sins that have already been forgiven and forgotten!
So, as we leave this Easter behind I'd like to encourage you to start taking back control of your thought life, of course acknowledge and repent of your sins (and where necessary and/or possible make amends to those you have hurt), but also start getting into the habit of forgiving yourself for your failings and wake up each morning free from guilt and shame, declaring:
Today, is a new day and I am a new creation!
Love Thea x