Restart

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

Before I go any further with this post - Mom is doing well.  Now, let's start the story.  My mother calls me a few weeks ago and says, "Something is not right, I'm not feeling well."  As you would suspect, into the car I go and get over to Mom's house.  Her heart was racing, not something that should happen after her heart surgery a few years ago.  We quickly called the cardiologist and before we knew it, she was admitted.  Over the next few days, Mom was attended to by many wonderful health care professionals, helping her to "flip" her heart back to a regular heartbeat.  I'm sure many of you have heard, or maybe have even experienced "AFIB", when your have a very erratic heartbeat.  A variety of procedures can be performed.  The least evasive is to take medicine through an IV in hopes that it "flips or converts".  I am happy to say that Mom's heart flipped and she is on her way to her old self!  Praise the Lord.

As I was sitting in the hospital, waiting for Mom's heart to flip, it helped me to reflect on our passage for today.  We wanted the old heartbeat to go away and wanted the new one to come.  How many times have I behaved so improperly that all I wanted was to have the old behind me and to begin anew?  How many times have trials and tribulations come across my path and all I wanted was for it all to be over with and for new situations to start?  How many times have I said things that not only the person I was speaking to didn't appreciate, but neither did God or I appreciate them either?  

I have had many circumstances when I know that I needed a greater dose of God in my life to help the "old me" go away and have Him create a "new me".  A "new me" that lives the life God wants me to.  A "new me" that focuses on God and His creation, not my selfish ways.  A "new me" that had His purpose and His words in my mind and on my tongue.  There is only one way I can receive the "new me".  I need to get deep into God's word.  God can restart my soul when it needs to be flipped.  When I need an attitude adjustment or need a new focus - away from the things of this earthly life, God can do that for me.  Through prayer and holding onto His word, I am assured that a new creation is coming - and I know it will be something wonderful.

Do you need to be "flipped"?  Is it time for a "new me" or a "new start"?  There is only one that can give you all that - and so much more.  Spend time in God's word.  Pick up a prayer book, a hymnal, a Christian CD, or may I even suggest the #1 best seller of all time, The Bible. Let the words jump off the song or pages and let them sink into your heart.  God can restart your soul as simply as you letting Him in.

"Heavenly Father, as you are well aware, sometimes we need a restart to our faith.  Maybe our focus or our actions have taken us away and we become irregular in our faith.  Help to flip us back to you Jesus.  Pierce our hearts with the knowledge that you are always there, waiting for us to flip back to YOU!  Thank you for patiently waiting for us to dive deeper into you.  Praise and glory to you, Jesus.  Amen."