Two-minute read.
In the days following Hurricane Isabel, a category 5 hurricane that struck the East Coast in September 2003, I went to the beach with a friend. Walking onto the sand at Duck, NC, I will never forget seeing a toilet setting smack dab in the middle of the beach. Seashells scattered the shoreline in massive quantities. Debris from houses lay in piles. The scene reminded me of my life before I started following Jesus.
When I gave my life to Christ, He began the process of cleaning up the debris from the storms I caused myself. Poor decisions and selfish desires led me to places I never should have gone. But Jesus came into my life, and slowly put back together all the broken pieces, making me a new creation.
God doesn’t just improve our lives, He transforms them. Spiritual renewal begins on the inside and moves outward through our changed actions. Old guilt, shame, sinful patterns, and former identities no longer define us. A new life begins.
Twenty-three years later, if you went to the same beach in Duck, you wouldn’t find a toilet, nor debris from houses. Seashells still scatter the beach, but not in the quantity that wash up after a hurricane. The town has cleaned up the mess and restored the beach to its original beauty, giving it new life.
Just like Christ does for us.
No longer bound to our old ways, forgiven and free, our identity changes. With Jesus, we get a fresh beginning, a new purpose, and a restored relationship with Him.
God specializes in redemption.
Our Savior takes the broken places and breathes life back into them. No past mistake, regret, or failure can stand against His transforming grace.
Journal Questions:
- What parts of your old life do you still struggle to leave behind?
- How have you seen God create something new in your heart or in your circumstances?
- What would it look like to fully embrace your identity as a new creation in Christ?
Beach Vibe:
Like the shoreline after the tide rolls through, God can smooth what was broken and make your heart feel new again.
