New Wineskins

new wineskins devotional diva ozella morris change new year 2015 christian blog[Guest post by Ozella Morris: Welcome back, Ozella! On Tuesday, we read Jennifer’s story of waiting instead of trying to force a change. But what if the Lord knows you need a change to be closer Him?]

Mark 2:22: And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.

Thank God for change! Even though it may not always fall in our favor, change is a blessing.

Change brings on new areas for meaningful progress to take place, for new bonds to be made, and for old wounds to be healed.

My own transformation has been one of plenty nights of tears and too many doubts of whether or not I was able to step up to the challenge. When I began to engage the Holy Spirit more, I could see things that I had to let go to let God’s Will go forward more abundantly in my life. Has it been easy? Of course not! However, I have never felt more secure in my life!

My two jobs never made me feel as financially secure as tithing has. My more intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit has soothed my cares more than any self-help book ever could. I stopped working myself to death and began to read my Bible and more inspiration-based materials to keep my spirit strengthened.

This deeper dependence on God has gradually broken my old self and is now stitching together a woman of Faith I never dreamed I could be.

This new ‘wine’ the Holy Spirit pours into us demolishes the old person we have come to accept as who we are.

There are no limits to who we can become through Christ Jesus! Our new ‘wineskins’ are ever changing, allowing us to be moldable in love. Life before you found Christ had no problem telling you that such versatility was impossible.

The world tries to trick us into believing that all we can be is what our circumstances have granted us.

2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

All of our good qualities become better as we continue our walks in Christ. Our glory is no longer defined by financial status, job status, or marital status; it is now determined by how willing we are to change.

However, it is smart to recognize that transformation will take place whether or not we want it to. Our old person doesn’t know what to do with this great amount of love and power the Holy Spirit has granted us. God requires our lives given up to Him, something that is hard to even consider outside of the Holy Spirit. We work hard to maintain lives of some kind of order; but now we have to turn that over to someone we can’t even see. That is a scary thing in itself.

On the other hand, it’s also very scary to think of an innocent man hanging on a cross between two confirmed thieves just for our lives to be reconciled with God. JUST FOR ME AND YOU! Let’s honor this sacrifice with our new ‘wineskins’, giving God the glory for these new phases that are happening in our lives, whether good or bad.Now that you know Him, God will continue to show you that He will love you through it all.

I have come to accept this life of continual transformation in Christ.

It is so much more exciting when you embrace all the infinite possibilities of love, service, and success that come with being followers of Christ. I pray that any reader is now encouraged to let go of the old person you thought you were destined to be and let God shape you to be even more beautiful than you have been before!

ozella morris on devotional divaI’m Ozella Morris, a 26 year old Certified Medical Assistant from Birmingham, Alabama. I’ve been encouraged by other women in Christ to be all that God has predestined me to be. With Christ in my life, I can laugh, love, and enjoy my portion, knowing that things are provided for those who trust in Him! Be blessed and be a blessing to others!

photo credit: quinn.anya via photopin cc