The old is disappearing

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Scripture

When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.
(Hebrews 8:13 NASB)

 

Observation


We continue to read about Christ who is now our new High Priest. The manner in which he does his work is completely different from anything that anyone had previously experienced. He sits at the right hand of the Father and he is constantly interceding for us who are a part of the new covenant. The law has now been written on our minds and in our hearts because we have been united with Christ. But there were those who continued to practice the old law and the more they practiced the old ways, the more they became obsolete and began to disappear. God's presence was no longer in the house.

 

Application


Most Christians would vehemently deny that they would be attracted to or living within the old covenant, and yet -- here is where we find many of us. The church is filled with those who are comfortable with the letter of the law, with fulfilling a list of duties. The problem is that when we become obsessed with the letter of the law, we do not allow Christ in to fill our hearts and our minds. Why is that? Because sometimes when we invite him in, things are no longer as black and white as we would like for them to be. When the love of Christ fills us we may look at someone who is living in sin and discover that our heart is completely broken for them. Why? Because Jesus' heart breaks for them, and then we discover that the heart of Jesus compels us to reach out to them in the middle of their mess and then we find ourselves in the middle of their mess. Suddenly we're not this clean, white, and pure person hanging out in the church, but maybe we're in the middle of a bad neighborhood, hanging out with people doing things that we would not do -- but the heart of Jesus compels us to be there with them. This is the new -- this is the heart of Jesus which tells us to look beyond the lists and the laws and follow his passion and love to a hurting and needy world.
When we hang onto the old ways, many of which may have been structured after the law, then we don't allow the freedom of the Spirit to move in and through us. If we try and hang onto structure, it will disappear, and if the Spirit has not been invited in -- gradually there will be nothing left. It's as if we are trying to hold onto a mirage and eventually there will be nothing.

The only hope that we have is to be in Christ and to continually move forward with him. The old is disappearing but behold -- he makes all things new! That's the best place to be -- with him, as he is continuously creative in all that he does.

 

Prayer


Lord, thank you for the joy of knowing you. Please, help me not to hold onto the things of the past which might keep me from a great future with you. I want to go where you are -- and where you are leading. Amen.

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