Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

~2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Change usually happens gradually, but sometimes, it comes instantaneously. Then, the next thing you know, we have choices to make. 

That special guy takes you to your favorite spot, then suddenly drops to one knee and opens a velvet-covered box, exposing a diamond ring. Next thing you know, you are sending out wedding invitations and anticipating all the changes coming.

Or, all the employees are asked to assemble on Friday afternoon in the break room to hear the owner of the company say they will close. Next thing you know, people are scrambling to try to find another job and worrying about how they will make ends meet.

Change happens in many ways, but it always causes a reaction. Sometimes, change is an amazing thing, but at other times, it is not. Our lives are altered because of a choice we or someone else made.

At the age of twelve, I experienced a change when my eternal destination changed. The next thing I knew, my life showed evidence of becoming something different. The outward changes gave witness to what was happening inside. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. Growth took place in my physical and spiritual body. That progressed until I decided to follow the Lord’s example in baptism, publicly identifying that I belonged to Christ.

And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

~Acts 19:4 ESV

Have you decided where you will spend eternity? The choice is yours. Choosing Christ will change you from the inside out. Then, have you followed the example of Jesus in believer’s baptism? If not, ask your pastor what your next steps should be. If you identify with Christ, people will see a change in you as you point them to the Savior.

What is the next thing you should do? 

Father God, use change as a tool in me for making the best choices that will glorify You. And the next thing you know, the Kingdom of God increases. Amen.

 

Genre: Non-fiction

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