Slideshow image

Isaiah 42:10a

Sing to the Lord a new song,

Sing His praise from the end of the earth!

As human beings, we can be rather contradictory. For example, we often tend to get comfortable and not want things to change. At the same time, we can get bored with the way things are, so we want something new.

My reason for thinking about new things today is this morning I was sitting in a waiting room while our car was being serviced and using their wifi on my phone. I wanted to look at something on our church website (yes, this one: www.calvaryumcdunkirkin.org) and because of the security program they used on their wifi, it wouldn’t allow me to go to the church website – it said that the website was too new.

The idea of blocking a website for no other reason than that it is “new” seems strange to me. For one thing, it’s not that new – it’s been 6 months or so. And if the security is smart enough to tell that it’s a “new” website, why isn’t it smart enough to tell that it’s a church website? And every website was new at some point.

When I turned from my sin and gave my will and my desires and longings over to Jesus, He made me new and gave me new life in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is united with the Anointed One, that person is a new creation. The old life is gone—and see—a new life has begun!  

As long as I walk the earth in this life, there are times when I find I must turn again and ask to be renewed. This side of Heaven, I will always be susceptible, so I must keep seeking Him and His ways in order to stay on His path.

Jesus, my Shepherd, You know that I am a flawed follower. “Prone to wander,” in the words of an old hymn. But this is why I am all the more grateful that You are nearer than my next breath and always ready to listen to my heart’s cry. Thank You for going to the cross for me. Thank you for taking my sin and my shame. Thank you for rising again in Your resurrected, renewed, and glorified body which I believe is the promise of my new life, both now, and when I am in Your presence. Give me Your strength to help me follow You more closely. In Your name I pray, Amen.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.