by Victoria Heinecke

God always sees us as a brand new creation.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.”
John 15:3 English Standard Version

As the party drew to a close, the hostess was looking at the mound of food that the guests had brought to share. She offered a large sheet cake to us, which we gratefully accepted; three teenaged youngsters would enjoy that cake for at least a day or so. On the way home, my husband and I talked about planning for our son’s birthday, and we thought the cake would make a humorous prop. I wrote “Happy Birthday Paul!” over the top of the original sentiment, which I’d carelessly scraped off with a fork.

We presented the partially-eaten cake to our middle child. He looked at it and laughed hard, along with the rest of us. We then presented the intended cake, which had been already purchased. It was brand new, pristine, and decorated just for him.

We still laugh at used cake. Although middle children are sometimes typecast as overlooked in favor of older and younger siblings, ours says he seldom experienced those feelings.

When we look at our true selves in a broken world, we may see ourselves like a leftover cake. Part of what was good in us is gone, never to return. We may try to paint a façade of what we want others to see, but in reality we can’t hide the fact that we’re something else.

Like the stereotypical middle child, we sometimes feel as if God has overlooked us. We may see ourselves as not quite good enough to be acceptable to him.

However, that’s not how God sees us.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17 New International Version

Every day, every minute, we have a fresh start with God! Through Jesus and his death and resurrection, our sins are washed clean from God’s eyes.  Every day is like our birthday to him – a chance to celebrate being brand new. We sin, we repent, we are forgiven. Best of all, our sins are forgotten by a loving God.

May you feel the newness of every day, justified by Jesus!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado