“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV).
Last weekend, my wife and I crossed the Mario M. Cuomo bridge in New York for the first time. The newly constructed passageway spans the Hudson River. Interestingly, I learned that the Hudson is not a river, but an estuary.
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal waterway with one or more rivers flowing into it. Estuaries form a transition zone between salt and freshwater environments. They are subject to the continuous movement tidal and river flow changes. The dynamism of estuaries makes them highly productive habitats for many species of fish, plankton, and plant life.
From my personal vantage point, I see the year 2024 as an estuarial season of transition. I have every confidence that many changes lie just over the horizon. Depending on one’s circumstance, change may come in the form of a new baby or geographical relocation to a new living situation. In more difficult circumstances, change may be dictated by the death of a loved one or the severing of ties with a toxic employee.
What matters most is not the scale or the type of change we face. What is critical is the approach we take. Change is inevitable. Adapting to change makes one’s future viable.
Paul claimed in the verse above that the lives of those who follow Jesus are marked by change. Like the tidal movements of the Holy Spirit, we are continually being transformed into the image of Christ. What is old is becoming new. What once was now is replaced by what is.
From God’s vantage point, change is not an enemy to resist, but rather is an ally to embrace. Change should not be viewed as something we simply endure but seen as an opportunity to thrive. Change is estuarial milieu God uses to transform us into the best version of ourselves.
So, rather than swimming against the tidal forces of change, go with the flow of God’s Spirit. Open your heart to the new life God wishes to create within you. Allow the Living Water of Christ to wash over you. You’ll be glad you did.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me to face 2024 with great anticipation of the new life you are creating in and around me. Whatever changes come my way, grant me the courage to face them with courage rather than fear. Create in me a willingness to let go of the past to embrace the future you are preparing. Through Christ’s name I pray. Amen.
Last weekend, my wife and I crossed the Mario M. Cuomo bridge in New York for the first time. The newly constructed passageway spans the Hudson River. Interestingly, I learned that the Hudson is not a river, but an estuary.
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal waterway with one or more rivers flowing into it. Estuaries form a transition zone between salt and freshwater environments. They are subject to the continuous movement tidal and river flow changes. The dynamism of estuaries makes them highly productive habitats for many species of fish, plankton, and plant life.
From my personal vantage point, I see the year 2024 as an estuarial season of transition. I have every confidence that many changes lie just over the horizon. Depending on one’s circumstance, change may come in the form of a new baby or geographical relocation to a new living situation. In more difficult circumstances, change may be dictated by the death of a loved one or the severing of ties with a toxic employee.
What matters most is not the scale or the type of change we face. What is critical is the approach we take. Change is inevitable. Adapting to change makes one’s future viable.
Paul claimed in the verse above that the lives of those who follow Jesus are marked by change. Like the tidal movements of the Holy Spirit, we are continually being transformed into the image of Christ. What is old is becoming new. What once was now is replaced by what is.
From God’s vantage point, change is not an enemy to resist, but rather is an ally to embrace. Change should not be viewed as something we simply endure but seen as an opportunity to thrive. Change is estuarial milieu God uses to transform us into the best version of ourselves.
So, rather than swimming against the tidal forces of change, go with the flow of God’s Spirit. Open your heart to the new life God wishes to create within you. Allow the Living Water of Christ to wash over you. You’ll be glad you did.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me to face 2024 with great anticipation of the new life you are creating in and around me. Whatever changes come my way, grant me the courage to face them with courage rather than fear. Create in me a willingness to let go of the past to embrace the future you are preparing. Through Christ’s name I pray. Amen.