After waiting through the dreariness of the colder winter months, spring officially arrives later this week. [SIGH!] For several days now, splashes of color have become more prevalent as trees start to unfurl their buds into tiny, tender leaves in varying shades of pale greens and deep
reds. Hyacinths, jonquils, daffodils and crocuses herald springs’ imminent arrival with a show of vibrant yellows, purples, and pinks. Blossoms make a bold display in unexpected areas as shrubs and bushes join in the celebration of winter’s passing. Daily the chorus of birds grows louder and more melodious as migrating birds on their way north stop and join with their year-round feathered cousins in the singing. The world appears almost new again as it dresses itself in spring finery
– looking as if it’s been re-created – and feels to us as if it has been given new life.
While we can rejoice as the seasons change, it isn’t truly an illustration of recreation, but rather the evidence of the cyclical nature of created things as they continue to function in the way they
were designed to do. Human beings – indeed all living things - do exactly the same thing as they follow the behavior patterns that are natural to each species.
At the start of our world, just after mankind was created, God looked at all that He had created – the earth, the heavens, the trees, grasses and plants, as well as man – and said that it was
very good. (See Genesis 1:31) This ‘very good’ status remained until Adam and Eve listened to Satan’s lies and allowed sin to enter the world. (See Genesis 3). From that very moment, all of creation was corrupted, so much so that God’s heart was grieved over our (i.e. man’s)creation.
Genesis 6:5-6 “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.”
In the whole wide world, God found only eight people – all belonging to Noah’s family – who had found favor in God’s eyes and thus were worthy of saving. This family, along with the two-by-two animals who came to Noah to be put into the ark, was the only remnants of life that were spared. The remainder of human, animal and plant life on this planet was wiped out in the biggest flood this world has ever experienced. Mankind was given a new beginning; yet even with the human race being ‘rebooted’ (so to speak), it was not a re-creation as we were not made new and were still left to contend with the sin nature that we had inherited from Adam and Eve when they accepted it from Satan in the Garden of Eden.
While it is true that humans are born into this sinful state and that we will act out of those - what has become natural - behavior patterns, there is still a small part of us, in the deepest depths of
our heart, that desires reconciliation and fellowship with our Creator once again. Mankind longs for a life filled with hope and the promise of a brighter future. Indeed, isn’t that what we have all wanted at one point or other in life – a true second chance?
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
The incredible, mind-boggling wonderfulness of this re-creation process once you accept Christ is that it happens instantaneously.
1 Samuel 16:7b “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
I remember the time when I had made a heart-decision to be committed to living a life in Christ.
It was challenging – and still is for some - for those who ‘knew me when’ to accept that I was a not the old me anymore. They could not move beyond what they used to know about me into the truth that was being lived out in front of them every day. Yet the more I continued to live a life pleasing to God in my status as His child, then even the naysayers were able to see that
something had indeed happened to change me from who I was into someone new. It truly is a heart matter. And once the heart makes the choice to change, the rest of the body will follow.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 "I [God] will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."
A second chance – a re-created life filled with the Hope of all creation – is as close as a heart-felt prayer to our Creator. The choice is yours. He’s waiting for you.
(For more information about forming a relationship with the Lord, see How You Can Find Him located at the top of this page.)
reds. Hyacinths, jonquils, daffodils and crocuses herald springs’ imminent arrival with a show of vibrant yellows, purples, and pinks. Blossoms make a bold display in unexpected areas as shrubs and bushes join in the celebration of winter’s passing. Daily the chorus of birds grows louder and more melodious as migrating birds on their way north stop and join with their year-round feathered cousins in the singing. The world appears almost new again as it dresses itself in spring finery
– looking as if it’s been re-created – and feels to us as if it has been given new life.
While we can rejoice as the seasons change, it isn’t truly an illustration of recreation, but rather the evidence of the cyclical nature of created things as they continue to function in the way they
were designed to do. Human beings – indeed all living things - do exactly the same thing as they follow the behavior patterns that are natural to each species.
At the start of our world, just after mankind was created, God looked at all that He had created – the earth, the heavens, the trees, grasses and plants, as well as man – and said that it was
very good. (See Genesis 1:31) This ‘very good’ status remained until Adam and Eve listened to Satan’s lies and allowed sin to enter the world. (See Genesis 3). From that very moment, all of creation was corrupted, so much so that God’s heart was grieved over our (i.e. man’s)creation.
Genesis 6:5-6 “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.”
In the whole wide world, God found only eight people – all belonging to Noah’s family – who had found favor in God’s eyes and thus were worthy of saving. This family, along with the two-by-two animals who came to Noah to be put into the ark, was the only remnants of life that were spared. The remainder of human, animal and plant life on this planet was wiped out in the biggest flood this world has ever experienced. Mankind was given a new beginning; yet even with the human race being ‘rebooted’ (so to speak), it was not a re-creation as we were not made new and were still left to contend with the sin nature that we had inherited from Adam and Eve when they accepted it from Satan in the Garden of Eden.
While it is true that humans are born into this sinful state and that we will act out of those - what has become natural - behavior patterns, there is still a small part of us, in the deepest depths of
our heart, that desires reconciliation and fellowship with our Creator once again. Mankind longs for a life filled with hope and the promise of a brighter future. Indeed, isn’t that what we have all wanted at one point or other in life – a true second chance?
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
The incredible, mind-boggling wonderfulness of this re-creation process once you accept Christ is that it happens instantaneously.
1 Samuel 16:7b “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
I remember the time when I had made a heart-decision to be committed to living a life in Christ.
It was challenging – and still is for some - for those who ‘knew me when’ to accept that I was a not the old me anymore. They could not move beyond what they used to know about me into the truth that was being lived out in front of them every day. Yet the more I continued to live a life pleasing to God in my status as His child, then even the naysayers were able to see that
something had indeed happened to change me from who I was into someone new. It truly is a heart matter. And once the heart makes the choice to change, the rest of the body will follow.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 "I [God] will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."
A second chance – a re-created life filled with the Hope of all creation – is as close as a heart-felt prayer to our Creator. The choice is yours. He’s waiting for you.
(For more information about forming a relationship with the Lord, see How You Can Find Him located at the top of this page.)
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