Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Anticipation


Miss Madelyn anticipates each day with exuberance.  The world is a place of discovery to her.  Currently she describes most everything as "DEE-licious."  There's nothing like a two-year-old teacher of life; through Madelyn's perspective I see some of the most ordinary things of life in a new and fresh way.   I smile thinking about her delight over a long list of first experiences, including when she picked and ate strawberries at a farm, when she saw a duck and heard its quacking sound in the wetlands, when she sat in the sand at the beach and made creations with her shovel, and when she built a snowman and made a snow angel one unusually cold and snowy day.
The thing is . . . it's easy to become tired and worn out from dealing with the stuff of life . . . failing to anticipate and experience the new creative work of God.
Consider. 
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here (I Corinthians 5: 17, NIV)

The process of being made new is ongoing rather than a one-time deal; however, there are times we become stuck in the stuff of the day, closing ourselves off from God’s fresh new creative work of life in and around us.
Even so, God is always at work.  It’s a holy work of love, grace, mercy, and peace.  It’s a transforming work.  It’s a powerful energizing work. But. It’s our choice to either enter into the work of God or to be weighed down by all of the stuff. 
Anticipate the new creative work God has for you today.
Refuse to allow the stuff distract you from God's work.
Intentionally pay attention to the work of God.
Seek what new thing you’re to experience.
Experience and enjoy being made new  . . . again.

Learning to Kickstart the day with anticipation of being made new,
Kerrie

(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)