New Life – Part 1
By Margaret D. Mitchell
Week of September 5, 2021
Proverbs 4:20-22 TPT invites us to "Listen carefully, my dear child, to everything that I teach you, and pay attention to all that I have to say. Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit. Then, as you unwrap my words, they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being."
These verses are part of the living Word of God that impart wisdom for new life as we listen to and receive from Holy Spirit.
One of my favorite Bible examples of new life is the story of Naomi and Ruth.
Their story involved the Good News (Gospel) of grace helping them to move forward from bitterness to love, from death to new life.
These wise women understood that their deceased husbands were seeds planted and that God had more redemption and resurrection life for themselves on earth (1 Cor 15:36).
In His wisdom, God led them to return to Naomi’s homeland of Bethlehem. He was about to make what was once old, new for them. Their journey was purposed for abundance in ways they had yet to discover.
So, by faith, these wise women relocated from a dead end into a new beginning. And like them, when we walk by faith and not by sight, we receive God’s (zóopoieó) life into our souls (Strong’s #2227). This is a quickening that aligns us to live with God, not just for Him.
Ephesians 3:17 TPT says that "…by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life."
Many of us have tasted bitterness like Naomi. We may have even had to intentionally choose to rejoice above pain so that the bitterness would not take root in our souls. Like Naomi, we may have had to keep believing God’s root and foundation of love above the resistance of bitterness until it passed from us completely.
For Naomi, the moment she made the faithful decision to go and return home was the moment new life was put into motion for her (Strong’s #72).
As for younger Ruth, she was wise to trust Naomi’s decision and accompany her.
Metaphorically, Ruth represents victorious love not letting go of us in our darkest hour, guiding us further into the light of Christ, blessing us with every good thing we need, even when our current situation looks hopeless.
Youthful Ruth represents hope against hope to believe we will experience God’s promise of new life and a good ending.
These wise women understood that life wasn’t over for them, that God would make it better than before, and that it was a whole new beginning.
So, friends, what new thing is God doing in your life?
New can reference time, as in a new season. It can mean youthful or even born again, as it pertains to people; or fresh as it pertains to things, including development or opportunity. It can also mean new in quality, as in innovation. It can reference form, as in unused, unworn, or superior to what it succeeds. It can reference substance, as in uncommon or unheard of. New can reference a recent discovery. (Strong’s #3501, #2537).
Like Ruth and Naomi, we can walk in this uncommon faith for God’s fresh start and renewal of life (Strong’s # 2538).
We can discover our best lives yet.
We can experience a new way of life by Holy Spirit’s leading and training (Strong’s #72).
We can model our lives by love and endurance.
Faith in our Lord, who is our Life-Giver, aligns us with His fresh vision and new life (Luke 18:42).
In Matthew 11:29 TPT, Jesus says, "Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me."
Ephesians 4:24 TPT reminds us "to be transformed as you embrace the glorious Christ-within as your new life and live in union with him! For God has re-created you all over again in his perfect righteousness, and you now belong to him in the realm of true holiness."
So, friends, we can trust Him for the transformation that brings new life and rest with Him in the process. Because God has more life for us ahead. He’s just beginning to set us on a new path. And He desires to establish us in better over bitter by His love.
"Now it’s time to be made new by every revelation that’s been given to you," according to Ephesians 4:23 TPT.
Pray with me if you will…
Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your fresh grace that offers new opportunities and new life to me. Where there has been upset, please give me a re-set and make my life upright. I invite You to straighten and clear out my pathways—spirit, soul and body—to align me more with You, as You cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Where there has been runaway failure, please help me to return home to You, knowing You will make what’s old new again. Help me to take hold of courage and run with You in victory. Help me take actions that foster life. Thank You for loving me enough to escort me into better.
In Jesus' Mighty Name,
Amen.
Join me next week for Part 2 of New Life.
Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ.
