I was reading Luke chapter 5 this morning and the scripture took in new and fresh meaning in terms of the context and season we are in. We are at the start of a new year and we have been seeking the Lord and asking him to do something new for us but what is it that often gets in the way?
Listen :
“No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved”. Luke 5:36-38.
We often ask the Lord to do new things in us, with us and for us but want to stay stuck with our old ways and try to tag it on to make it fit, but it doesn’t and won’t. We can’t see beyond the end of our noses and some of us have very short noses…self included.
We try to use our own applications to make things stick or fit , but it won’t. There is often nothing wrong with the old but if God directs change or a pattern of how things are to be in this season then we must be obedient. I am not suggesting a change in his commandments here either , so take heed!
Father has the oversight of the battle and He alone knows what is necessary in this season in terms of the soldier of Christ and warfare.
The old garment can be seen as our old bruised and damaged hearts or our minds, our old ways which is in desperate need of repair. God can not heal or use us unless we allow a change to take place.
As in major surgery new body parts won’t work unless there is acceptance and agreement in the Body. New life won’t come without this and there is a danger of death, disease or amputation.
You wouldn’t harness a race horse with a pig to go anywhere. Different heights, different stature, different callings. One looking ahead, one looking down scratching around in the mud.
Two cannot walk unless they agree, they will be out of sync, out of time and we will just hobble along rather than be able to run our race or fight that attack coming against the Body.
We need to stop trying to make things fit into our old ways of being and doing. We need to listen, rend our hearts, let go of the old hurts and impediments , including those which are sanctimonious and religious – Father was talking to the scribes and Pharisees in this parable from Luke. We are too stiff not pliable enough. We need to lift up our hearts , our cups our old garb… and let God restore, repair and fill us anew.
Written by
Linda J
17/1/18