Several years ago my husband signed up for a drawing at the grocery store. He didn’t even know what the prize was and he barely remembered signing up. So, a few weeks later it was a total surprise to get a call announcing that we had won a new refrigerator. It was exciting despite the fact that we had purchased a fridge about two years prior. I daydreamed about what the new fridge would be like. Would it be a side by side with ice and water in the door or some other fancy fridge that we hadn’t been able to afford when we bought our other one? When the new fridge arrived we discovered that it was similar to our current fridge (although it had enough extra features so we decided to use it and sell our old one). I anxiously waited for the day that we made the transfer; and as it turned out, we even changed the kitchen a bit in the process.
At last the new fridge was in place, the kitchen was reorganized, and it was time to load it up with food. I guess it would be more accurate to say it was time to transfer the food. As I was working away taking partial bags of frozen vegetables from one freezer to another it dawned on me that, despite the excitement of a new fridge and the cool features, I was putting the same food into it. We hadn’t been given a whole new fridge stocked with exciting foods that were perfectly stacked in all matching Tupperware® containers like something you see in an ad. While transferring the food I threw out the moldy oranges and the downright rotten food that had been hiding in the back corners. What remained was still less than perfect -like the ketchup bottles that were half full.
You may ask, “Why is she writing about a new refrigerator and rotting food on a blog dedicated to reflecting on the cross?” Well, because as I awoke this morning it popped into my head and I believe that God had something to say to me about it. That new fridge is similar to this new year. I daydream about what a new year may hold, what new opportunities or challenges lay ahead, and how it will be better than the last. I reorganize my life, carefully evaluate my time, and ask God to give me goals for growth in godliness. I believe it’s a worthwhile endeavor - though I don’t need a new year to do it. A new year does bring out that natural inclination to reflect and restructure my life. When a new year comes and it’s time to make the “transfer”, I find that the inside contents are the same. The same emotions, personality, weaknesses, and laziness exist that existed 36 hours ago. If you looked inside of me you still wouldn’t see a perfectly organized life with the best quality of fruit inside. You’d find that most of my contents are tainted with impure motives, previous goals only half full, and even some rotting sins that had been ignored because I hadn’t made time to clean them out. Even if I did clean them out and made new goals it wouldn’t last. There will always be rotting sins emerging as long as I live; though, by God’s grace, I hope they will be cleaned out much quicker as they emerge instead of left rotting in a dark corner.
What hope do I have, then, for the contents of my new year?
My hope is Jesus Christ! You must have known that was coming. God grants me another year as a gift and promises that he will transfer to me that perfect life I’ve longed for. In fact he already did it the moment he saved me. He gave me credit for the perfectly lived life of Jesus. The blood that Jesus spilled on the cross secured my forgiveness for the contents of all my years. That knowledge fills me with hope! Now He is patiently cleaning out my insides to make my own life something that reflects His and He’s doing it one moldy orange at a time.
Comments
Jan. 6, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Chris
Great title, Joy! Great message too! I always feel like saying, Amen,sister! after I read your blog. Hope the Bice family had a joyous Christmas. After we left your place on the 20th, we got home at 4:30AM. Amanda drove the whole way, and I actually was able to stay awake and keep her company. Randy was getting up when we got home. : ) It was so good having my kids home for Christmas. God is good!
Jan. 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Joyous
I'm so glad you all got home safely and that you had a good time together. Thanks for your encouragement.
Love you,
Joy