The feeling of 'new'.

It's amazing how our senses respond to something that is new, isn't it? Whether we are opening a gift, sitting in a new car with that 'new car' smell, opening a fresh pair of sneakers, taking the lid off a fresh can or jar of food, or experiencing the sites and sounds of a new place, our senses lock us in to an experience of pleasure that takes our full attention. Whatever is happening with the dopamine in our brain often pairs those moments with joy and delight. 

The feeling of a new year can often bring about the same experience. I recall those moments of my childhood watching Dick Clark ring in the new year with all of those smiling faces around him - hopeful glimmers in the eyes of people from different homes, life situations, and struggles. They all watched as the ball dropped, counting down to a new beginning - a fresh start. Then, a celebration for what may come in a new calendar year. 

This is what Paul says in his 2nd letter to the Corinthian church:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"  (2nd Corinthians 5:17)

In Christ, we also experience the feeling of 'new'. When we come to faith in Jesus, we receive a new love for others in a single moment. Then, we begin to receive new eyes, new ears, a new heart, and a new purpose in life. While we don't actually receive new physical body parts, God does shape our spiritual selves in a way that is unrecognizable to those who may have known us before the change. 

Like remembering the feeling of opening certain presents at Christmas past, we should take time to recall the moment we gave our lives to Jesus - allowing the joy and delight of a new life to excite our souls. 

So while the presents your kids opened over the last two weeks may already be losing their shimmer, we can rejoice today knowing that the life Christ creates in us will always be something worth celebrating.

Blessings!

-Pastor Austin