Day 16 — Brand New

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (BSB)

A caterpillar spends its days crawling around, munching leaves. It’s slow and fuzzy, and it can’t go very far. Then one day it wraps itself in a chrysalis. Inside, something incredible happens. When it finally comes out, it isn’t a caterpillar anymore. It has wings! It can fly! It’s been completely changed into something new.

The Bible says something like that happens to everyone who trusts Jesus. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Not just a slightly improved version of the old you. New.

What changes? When you trust Jesus, God forgives your sins and puts His Holy Spirit inside you (we’ll learn more about that on Day 18). He gives you a new heart that wants to love Him and please Him. Things you didn’t care about before, like praying or reading the Bible, start to matter to you. Things that used to seem fun, like being mean or telling lies, start to feel wrong.

But wait. If you’re brand new, why do you still sometimes lose your temper, or get jealous, or say things you shouldn’t? That’s a great question. Being a new creation doesn’t mean you’re perfect yet. It means God has started something new inside you, and He’s going to keep working on it. A butterfly still has to learn to fly. A seed still has to grow into a tree.

Here’s how to think about it: you used to be someone who belonged to sin. Now you belong to Jesus. Sin is no longer your boss. When you mess up, you don’t have to stay stuck. You can say sorry, get back up and keep growing, because that’s who you really are now.

“The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!”

Think about it: What is one way you’ve seen God changing you, or someone you know, since they started following Jesus?

Try this: Ask a parent or an older Christian how God has changed them. Listen to their story.

Dear God, thank You that when I trust Jesus, You make me new. Thank You that sin is not my boss anymore. When I mess up, help me remember who I really am in Christ. Keep changing me to be more like Jesus every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.