With a little disposable income, each of us can be renewed. There are not shortage of products that tell us that if we invest our time and money in them that we can be a "brand new" us in 30 days...or our money back. Whether it is the new look of radiance of our skin or a new feel of our core after (never enough) sit ups, we can be reshaped. The pills are there for the taking.
Many of us though don't want to be swept up in the external vision of a "new" us. That is too shallow so we go for a new "inner" us. As the calendar changes from December 31st to January 1st we reflect on who we have been (and haven't been) since the last moments when we considered those things and are energized to be different next time. Though this year's report card of progress only had C's and D's, next years will be better, right?
All the skin care products available to us, all of the different versions of an ab-roller that are orderable on Amazon, and all the "better you in 30 days" books we could buy (read?), it never seems to be enough. Something is missing. There is still something deeper. More "new" than we can create.
Paul reminds the people living in Galatia that "neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." (Galatians 6:15) There is a more rooted- more supernatural- "new you."
It is a newness that the Creator creates in us...not a newness that we try to conjure up within ourselves. No amount of disposable income our determination can generate this kind of life.
Why then isn't this more of everyone's experience? Why then isn't this the normal life? Why is this reality not just neglected, but actively rejected?