You Are a New Creation in Christ!

"May every day be a new beginning, and every dawn bring us closer to that shining city upon a hill."

Okay, here's the deal. We all mess up. We all do at one time or other. We say things we later wish we could take back. We do things we wish we could undo. We miss opportunities. This happens in all spheres of our lives. Sometimes we make mistakes at work, sometimes we hurt the people we love, sometimes we disappoint God.

And because we all mess up, we like to start over—to turn our backs on the past, to look forward, to hope that this time round, things are going to be better. There’s something exciting about starting over—new challenges, new experiences, new opportunities. Looking back, I realize there are some things I’d like to do differently. Maybe you've had similar thoughts…

I don’t think I’m so different. I think people generally like to start over. I think that’s why young people look forward to leaving school and going to university. I suspect that’s why some people are continuously starting new relationships. Perhaps that’s why we all like opportunities to rededicate our lives to God. We all like to start over. Why? Because the future holds the hope for something better.

But things don’t always stay this way. After too many disappointments we often give up, we lose hope. A person can only start over so many times before you begin to wonder, “What’s the point? What makes you think you’re not going to mess it up again?” Of course, people vary. The number of disappointments necessary before someone gives up hope differs from person to person.

The Bible tells a story of a lady who had reached this point, who had lost all hope. Outside it’s quiet. Not dead quiet—the cicadas are buzzing in the trees. But there is no one in sight. She’s alone. She looks up and down the dusty street but doesn't see any of the other women. With another sigh she begins to walk to the outskirts of town.

The woman is on her way to fetch water. It’s not a good time to get water. In fact, it’s not a good time to be outside. The sun has reached its peak and seems to hang in the air as it beats down mercilessly on her. She could have chosen a cooler time of the day, but that would have meant facing the other women.

You see, this woman is the town’s local “bad girl”. She’s not married to the man she’s currently living with. She’s already had five husbands. Five times she’s tried to start over. Five times she’s tried to build a new life. And now she’s given up on marriage, given up on happiness, given up hope.

For her there is no turning back. No new start. No new beginning. She’s accepted her lot as an outcast. She’s learned to live without hope. It’s tragic to admit, but this woman is not alone in reaching this point of hopelessness. After too many disappointments, it can happen to anyone. After a while, you may begin to feel that there just isn't a new beginning for you, either.

However, the Bible does not agree with this feeling. In stark contrast the Bible speaks of a completely new beginning! (2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 2 Corinthians 5:17)  As she nears the well, the woman notices a man sitting on the wall. She hesitates. What’s he doing there? She wants to turn away, but she needs water. With downcast eyes she walks closer. Perhaps he'll just ignore her.

But He doesn't. Instead, He asks her for some water. Jesus should not have spoken with her. The etiquette of the day forbade it (she was a woman; she was a Samaritan and He was a Jew; and she was living in sin). Jesus should not have spoken with her. But he did. 

There are a number of Old Testament texts which refer to God as the fountain of living water (Psalm 36:9; Jeremiah 17:13) and in making this reference to living water, Jesus is actually telling her, “Hey, I’m the Messiah! I’m what you've been longing for! I’m what you need in your life!” And then Jesus offers her living water—the living water which quenches a persons thirst and gives eternal life. But the woman does not realize what He’s talking about.  

He reminds her of her past, of all her disappointments. And with each word the door to her pain is forced a little more open. It’s not easy to confront our failures, our disappointments, our pain. In fact, it’s possible for us to get used to living in spiritual poverty, to live without hope. To hope again is scary. If we begin to hope again, we can be disappointed again. If we try to start over once more, we might just fail once more.

But, however scary it might be to think of making a new start, that is exactly what the Bible is promising: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Eventually the woman at the well realizes that she has met the Messiah and that He has begun to recreate her. Outwardly she looks just the same, but inside—inside she is a new creation!

She begins to change. She no longer sees herself as a hopeless outcast. Instead, she realizes that she has been entrusted with a message, with wonderfully good news: The Messiah is here! God has reconciled us to Himself! God has made it all okay between us again! And this woman who walked to the well—walked to the well without a friend, without hope, without a future—this same woman runs back to town. She has met the Messiah. She has become Jesus’ ambassador.

In conclusion, I could ask the question, “Where does this message leave us today?” Instead, “I am going to ask, “Where does this message find you today?” Maybe things are falling apart. You've tried the starting over bit—over and over and over—and you've come to realize it’s just a desperate attempt at making yourself feel better for a while. You've lost all hope in any real new beginning.

It doesn't really matter where you are today, because today is a new day. Jesus is offering you what He offered the woman at the well—a new creation, living water. Go on. Take a deep drink!

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 43:19; Lamentations 3:22-24; Revelation 21:4; Ephesians 4:22-24; 1 Peter 1:3

Prayer: God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

God bless you,

Kirsten