The New is Here!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

They say, the only constant thing in this world is change. Indeed! This is true. Nothing IN THIS WORLD is permanent, may it be people, animals, nature, things, places, situations, name it - it surely has changed or will change.

However, in a human being's point of view, there are things in their life that are difficult to change, no matter how bad they wanted to. For example, a change in attitude is very difficult to do, since it naturally just comes out of us like a burst of emotion eventhough we know that it needs to be changed. Or, another example is the change related to vices or something that we are used to doing, in which we know that it needs to stop, but the actual stopping gives more struggle.

How about some simple examples, like when we possess the last year's iPhone model, and we finally see the new iPhone on advertisement - this gives us the desire to change (phones), but we still have struggles (i.e. budget constraints).

As I write my examples, I realize something - it is the awareness of the human being which started the spark on why he wants to change. Surely, that person who wanted to change his attitude or remove his vices, wanted to do so because he became aware that it is not beneficial for him. Surely, that person who wanted to change his iPhone model realized the better features a new iPhone can provide for him.

In 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 NIV version, the word "know" is being used several times. And this word usually is the CAUSE of the situations stated there. 

Examples:

Verse 1: For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Verse 6: Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

Verse 11: Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.

Another observation is that after these verses cited, come verses that speak about "change". 

​After verse 1, which tells us about knowing that we have an eternal building from God after all the earthly buildings are destroyed, are verses 2 to 5 stating that we, His people, are longing to be clothed (with new clothes!).

​After verse 6, which cites that we, God's children, know that we are away from Him if we are at home with the body, then the following verses 7 to 10 express that we want to be away from the body, and be with the Lord (a big change!)

​After verse 11a, which states that we, Christians, know what it is to fear the Lord, which is followed by verses 11b to 16, we are compelled to do many changes in our lives.

The key verse 17 talks about that when anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. To this verse, aha! I still see the same pattern. Based on my personal observation of myself and other people, it is the same thing - to have knowledge, to know, become known to a person who is Christ, and this results to becoming a new creation! Change has come!

I, too, am a new creation because of Christ! I started knowing Him a few years ago, and slowly I became a better person than I was! I thought I was good enough, but when I knew Christ, I became the best version of myself! This isn't even a credit to me, but to the One who made the impossible possible!

Conclusion: Change starts from knowing. Changes in our lives for the better - I mean to the best version of ourselves is through knowing Christ! He can transform you into someone you wouldn't even imagine!

This is also a reminder to let people KNOW about Christ, so that they enjoy the new person they can be when they know Him.

That is why I have decided to publish this blog, to let you KNOW that Jesus loves you!

And to this, I am happy to finally start my blog about my devotions. The New is Here!

-meliza, a new creation