New Life in a New Family

Here is an article, I wrote that was published recently in our local newspaper, the Oakland Independent.

When you open the paper, did you turn to see if any new babies were born? Babies are almost universally loved, because they are cute, innocent, and helpless. We love babies, because they represent the future.

Often though, kids do not reach their full potential. How disappointed are we when someone, especially one of our own children goes astray? Perhaps you even look back on your life and wish that you could go back have a do over.

In a favorite movie for our family, Napoleon Dynamite, Uncle Rico is a character that is constantly reliving  his glory days of high school football. He imagines that if only he could go back, get in the big game and win that state championship his whole life would be different. Many of us have similar regrets about life and we wish we could just go back, get a clean slate or at least believe that the future still holds new possibilities for us.

The Jewish teacher, Nicodemus came to Jesus for a conversation one night (John 3), and Jesus told him about a chance for a type of do over. Jesus said that he could be "born again," but Nicodemus wondered how he, as an old man, could enter once again into his mother's womb. Jesus responded that the new birth and the new life is not physical like the old life, but rather it is spiritual. What God offers is to remake us on the inside and give us a new identity as His child.

Further, this offer is for everyone no matter how many regrets, mistakes, or even major sins you have in your life. It also does not matter how old you are, God could even make an old man like Nicodemus a new child of His. When you are reborn into new life with Christ, your past is forgiven and you are given a future with new possibilities. You become a spiritual child with a new Father who will love, accept and walk with you as He helps you become the person that He made you to be.

The condition to receive this new life is to be willing to give up your old life and humbly admit you need the new life that God offers. Like a child with their parent, we need to trust that God can and really does want to make you a new person. Now this does not mean you will suddenly become perfect, but you become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and become a part of the family of God (1 John 1:12). Once in the family, God does not kick us out when we sin, but rather lovingly works with and in us to forgive and restore. No longer do our failures have to define us, because we can always run back to our loving Father.

To close, here is a poem from an unknown elementary school teacher, that describes the constant renewal with the new life in Christ.

He came to my desk with a quivering lip,
the lesson was done.
“Have you a new sheet for me, dear teacher?
I’ve spoiled this one.”
I took his sheet, all soiled and blotted
and gave him a new one all unspotted.
And into his tired heart I cried,
“Do better now, my child.”

I went came to the throne with a trembling heart;
the day was done.
“Have you a new day for me, dear Master?
I’ve spoiled this one.”
He took my day, all soiled and blotted
and gave me a new one all unspotted.
And into my tired heart he cried,
“Do better now, my child."