…that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come! (II Cor. 5:15-17)
I read a devotional this week that I could really identify with. It was talking about the increasing popularity of self-improvement books. I recalled this genre was about all I used to read as a young person. My interest came largely because of my feelings of inadequacy in my own family and desire to measure up to the standards of this world. Many of us are always desiring to become someone other than what we are now. It seemed reasonable to think I needed to take responsibility to find the right strategy, make the necessary changes, get psychologically healed from my past, and become this person these books were writing about. Though I believe books can help us become aware of our weaknesses and work on overcoming them; there is only One who can change us and make us new. The remedy for this kind of change was the complete opposite of what I thought back then.
Reminds me of a story when I first met my husband. I went to visit my mom in Houston and was reading a book titled, “Word Power Made Easy”. My mom kidded me and remarked,
“If he doesn’t like you now, it’s too late to improve!”
I realized I had worked so hard striving to become someone other than myself but no matter how many books I read, I couldn’t really fix myself. I needed to be a whole new creation! As far as “word power”, God had made me a simple communicator. This quality was actually needed in my future marriage to balance the intellectualism of my husband. I needed to lay down my self-improvement inward searching and turn my focus outward to serve, love and sacrifice for others as Jesus did. As I did this he would make me all I was created to be.
Then the Lord gave me an interesting dream:
Alan and I had a booth set up at a local church selling mangoes. Man-goes was a play on words, a pun illustrating this truth: the (old) man must go. Ironically, the church name was Restoration which symbolized our redemption from our previous secular thinking and need for renewal. We would be “selling” this message of dying to self, living for Christ.
(II Cor. 5:17)
Later on I dreamed of having a spiritual baby of rest that others would adopt and help me raise.
Are you striving to become something you are not? Enter his rest, turn outward and see where he wants you to serve. He will make you who he created you to be. Know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Embrace your uniqueness and give thanks!
May I pray for you?
Dear Lord, Thank you that you are the all sufficient one. Make me a whole new creation in your image as I serve and love others. Thank you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I embrace who you made me to be and as I abide in you; you are my hope of glory. Amen
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