Devotion: Are You Thanking God for Rebirth?

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 ESV)

I detest winter. Christmas and New Year’s Eve are wonderful holidays, but after the festivities subside, I despise the cold weather and gray skies, dry skin, central Texas “cedar fever” and flu season, and the dead plants frozen in my yard. I don’t know if it’s because of my seventh-generation Texan blood, my spring birthday, or my love of gardening—or perhaps a bit of all three—but I often wish we could skip winter altogether.

This winter was especially brutal because we experienced the coldest temps the Austin area had seen in years, and our family got a brand-new furnace that didn’t work correctly for weeks. We eventually borrowed large space heaters and placed them strategically around our house while we pleaded with the owner of the company who installed the unit. He did send someone out to fix it—several times—but to no avail.

After a month of back-and-forth communication with no resolution, a different technician from the same company came out, confirmed the problem, and ultimately replaced the entire unit. It felt like a miracle. We finally had heat. Instead of continuing to try to repair the faulty unit, the technician simply removed it and installed a new furnace.

Isn’t this what we want God to do in our lives? To completely remove what’s broken and replace it with something entirely new? When we put our faith in Jesus, we’re trusting him to erase the brokenness of our past sin and put his perfect Holy Spirit in its place.

Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20 ESV). We’re never fully alive until Christ dwells within us. Until then, we’re trapped in the dark, cold, lonely winter of our sin, desperately needing the redemption, beauty, and warmth of spring to revive us.

Each year I thank God for the rebirth he provides the earth through springtime. More importantly, I rejoice in knowing that, no matter the cost, he refused to continue letting mankind make imperfect sacrifices that could never fully restore our hearts to him.

Thank you, Father, for sacrificing your perfect Son, so that we could be raised to new life with you. Thank you for springtime, the annual reminder of your perfect provision and restoration of mankind. Please create in me a new heart. Remove my sinful, selfish desires and replace them with your perfect Holy Spirit. Help me to never forget that I am a new creation, bought with an unimaginable price, and that I’m set free to do your will on earth as it is in heaven until Christ returns. Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field. (Zechariah 10:1 ESV)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10 ESV)

Reach for More

How is God asking you to serve and glorify him? What dead things in your life need to be removed or pruned so you can live into his freedom more fully? What is holding you back from living by faith right now? Ask God to show you how he is restoring you to himself in this annual season of growth, so that you can wholeheartedly embrace and praise him for his new creation in you.

Lauren Flake writes about her journey as a wife, mom to two little girls and Alzheimer’s daughter in her native Austin, Texas, at For the Love of Dixie. Her first book, Where Did My Sweet Grandma Go? was published in 2016. She thrives on green tea, Tex-Mex, and all things turquoise.

Photograph © Bethany Beams, used with permission