Out With The Old!

   "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,  he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

      There is a song that says "I'm not who I was".   Wow, is that true.   The bible tells us that if we are in        Christ then we are new creations.  So literally we are not who we were...  But I have got to admit that there are      many times when I feel like the "same old me".  When I ask myself "where is that new creation?".     But then after I freak out a bit, I sit back and think about all that God has done in my life.  And it is only then that it sinks in... my   body may be the same, but I AM changed.  No question     there.  I do not think as I once did.   I guess it's like in 1     Corinthians where it says  "When I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things."  When I look at my life I normally don't see the growth.   It is only when I take a step back and look at what God has done, that I see the change.  

       I was talking with a friend yesterday.  We were talking about growing in our faith.  One of the things that I found significant was that we agreed that when we look at ourselves we don't see ourselves in the same light that others see us in.   I feel pretty confident in saying that we probably don't see ourselves as God sees us either.  I know that when I look in the mirror  I have a tendency to see the bad things in myself.  I would guess that most of you probably do too.  

        I have a few really good friends that I can turn to for guidance or advice when I need it.  Whom I count on to correct me when I go off track...  this doesn't take the place of going to God or listening to the small voice that the Holy Spirit puts inside me.  But I only mention this because at one time, in my mind I thought of those friends as "all together", as much more mature than I am and I looked up to them much more so than I do today.   Not that they aren't "together".   They are.   And I do respect and love and look up to them... but not like before.   I realize now that they are just as screwed up as I am.  It's like another song says: "There's no such thing as perfect people, there's no such thing as a perfect life."  And I know now that God uses us to help each other.   It's a two way street.  They are able to help and support me.  But ALSO, I am able to help and support them.  And my help and support is as important to them as theirs is to me...  None of us is perfect... that's why we need God.  He takes the director's chair and guides us, directs us and challenges us to live right.  That means doing His will.  We, being human, tend to screw it up pretty royally sometimes.  But God has put friends into our lives to help keep us on track... He has surrounded us with His army.... Some of them are slave drivers, others are gentle nudgers.... but they all help us to keep our eyes where they belong.

     So I am not who I was, and neither are you... Ain't it cool?  Oh yeah.   God put the people around you in your lives to be there for you.... an earthly reminder that He works through us and in us.  He knows what He's doing... even though we don't.  It's got to make you wonder...

     Dear Lord,  thanks for always being there working where we see you sometimes, but for still having our back even when we don't see you...  and thanks for the things you have done in our lives.   Thanks for dumping our old selves, and replacing them with new selves.  Even though we don't always feel "new".  Thanks for the fellowship that you have provided for us.  And thanks for the friends that you have brought into our lives.  Thanks also that even though we are all majorly flawed we can still be there for each other, supporting, guiding and praying.   Dude, You rock! Thanks.