A New Creation

“Therefore, whoever is in Christ is a new creation; the old has gone, and the new has come.”2 Corinthians 5:17

One of the most photographed places in Edinburgh, Scotland, is Princes Street Gardens. It is a public park in the center (or as they say in Edinburgh, the centre) of the city, separating “Old Town” from “New Town.” Interesting fact: New Town isn't very new, as it dates to the 1760s.

Princes Street Gardens used to be a lake (or, as they say in Edinburgh, a loch), so the park itself is below street level, with the sides of the parks made of grassy slopes. The people of Edinburgh will flock to the Gardens at the first sign of sunshine. In the spring and summer, the Gardens are adorned with beautiful seasonal flowers, blooming shrubs, and trees. Along the Princes Street edge of the gardens, a number of monuments and statues can be found, the most prominent of which is the monument to Sir Walter Scott. Carol and I spent a lovely afternoon at the Gardens when we were in Edinburgh in 2016.

The Princes Street Gardens weren't always such a lovely place. As I mentioned, it used to be a man-made loch. It was also the place into which all the sewage from Old Town drained.

The place now known as Princes Street Gardens was once a stagnant cesspool of runoff rainwater and raw human sewage. But now it has been transformed into a place of beauty and joy for the people of Edinburgh. QUITE the transformation. Even a new creation, one might conclude.

Well, now, isn't that a coincidence: The Bible verse at the top of this devotion refers to new creations, doesn't it? “Whoever is in Christ is a new creation.”

Really, now, you don't think it's a coincidence, do you? Of course not.

In all seriousness, as amazing as the transformation of a place like Princes Street Gardens is – from an open sewer to one of the most beautiful parks in Britain – even that transformation pales in comparison to the transformation of our hearts when Jesus Christ takes up residence with us. Not that you and I are like a stagnant sewage pond before Christ (that's just gross); but in Christ, everything changes.

In Christ, despair is met with assurance that God is in control, and that God works all things for the good for those who love him.

In Christ, sin and failure and brokenness are met with forgiveness and second chances and healing.

In Christ, cynicism about the world is met with hope that the day is drawing near when God's kingdom will come, and God's will will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Christ, our rebellion is met with peace and reconciliation.

In Christ, we – you and I, and all who believe in him – are met by the love of God.

The truth is, Christ changes everything. Christ transforms everything.

Thanks be to God, who makes us new creations!