A New Kind of Life
by Malcolm Wood
The natural world of God’s creation gives us so much to wonder and marvel at. There are many examples of His power giving life to multitudes of living organisms, plants and creatures. Every living thing gives testimony to its source of life – God Himself. No wonder the Psalmist could say ‘Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever’ (Psalm 145:21).
2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that, as‘born again believers in Christ’, we are a ‘new creation’. We have a new kind of life. Our spirits have come alive with Christ. So what evidence is there that we’re spiritually alive?
When Jesus raised the widow of Nain’s son to life, the young man ‘sat up and began to talk’ (Luke 7:15). This was real evidence that he was alive! What evidence is there from how we talk to others that the Jesus we love and worship really is alive? The apostle Paul encourages us to make use of every opportunity to speak for the Lord (2 Timothy 4:2).
Another lesson from someone who was brought back to life is found in John 11:17- 44 where we read of the resurrection of Lazarus. As he rises from his place of burial we’re told that he was still bound in his grave clothes and the Lord gave the instruction ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go!’
So many of us can be restricted in our spiritual growth, because we’re still bound to things of the past. Jesus came to bring us life in all its fullness (John 10:10). For us to find the reality of what that means we need to heed the writer of Hebrews and ‘throw off everything that hinders’ (Hebrews 12:1). Although we can be alive, (as Lazarus was), it may be necessary to be cut off, or be released, from our grave clothes, so that we can move on and be able to really enjoy and demonstrate the fullness of new life.
Prayer: Help me, Lord, to see those things in my life which are holding me back from fully enjoying all that You have for me, and then help me to cut myself free with the help of your Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
