The New Testament vision of God’s presence in the human experience is that he wants His people to live the life of a new creation. The old creation (the natural person apart from God) is about living in the killing, stealing and destroying ways of the thief from hell (see John 10:10). It’s about living below what you are capable of living by the grace of God. The new creation is about life and hope and forgiveness and destiny and future and promise; its about renewal and purpose and meaning. God wants the old creation to lose its grip on us, and for the life of Jesus to set us free to know God fully, and to live in wholeness, with meaning and dignity and ongoing, life-changing transformation in the grace and love of God.

The old creation says, "You're a loser; give it up.” The new creation says, "You are created in the image of God. Don’t ever give up.

The old creation says, "You're a mess; and you are trapped and imprisoned in a nightmare you created for yourself by the choices you've made. There is no hope. The new creation says, "God is here, and there is help for you beyond the wildest stretches of your imagination. The power of God will set you free and you can fly like an eagle in your life.

The old creation says, “You are Lord. You are the center of the universe. Cheat if you want to, lie if you want to, steal if you want it, gossip if it helps your cause; get what you want when you want it and if you can't get in, inflict pain on anybody who gets in your way. The new creation says, "Deep down inside your heart you know that the enticement of the old creation is leading you down the path to destruction. You know there is a way that seems right, but in the end it leads to death (Prov. 14:12).

Let’s be a people who let the new things of God lead us forward. Let God be God in our midst.