Well, it's that time of the year again! Time for the kids to start back to school! One last weekend before the bell rings again. I know that some folks are definitely ready for the new year while some are already dreading Monday morning.
Back to school time comes with many things that need to be done to be ready for the new school year. Most folks will buy new school supplies, new clothes, new shoes, and get those last minute hair cuts to make sure that the kids look their best on the first day of school. They do this to make sure they are prepared to start out on good footing.
As I was sitting here thinking about this whole back to school process, I realized that there are many things that correlate with salvation. Salvation is all about new beginnings. Every year our kids get a chance to start over again. Praise the Lord, it is a fresh start with a new teacher. Salvation gives us a fresh start and a new beginning. When we ask the Lord to come into our lives and be our Savior, we have a fresh start to life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, with the Lords help, we try and change how we live. We do our best to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. Ephesians 5:8-10 says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord."
In order to make those changes, we will likely have to make outward changes in our lives. Just like we buy new clothes and new shoes for back to school, we may have to make some changes that are going to be obvious to others. We may have to give up things that we had before. Maybe there is music or television that are not good for you to be hearing and maybe you need to give that up and find good, wholesome, music and television to watch and listen to instead. To live as children of light, we must live in a way that pleases the Lord.
What about back to school hair cuts? While changing the things in our lives that could be a stumbling block to us or open up doors to the devils attacks will be hard, there could be those things in your life that the Lord really wants to change about you. More than something you can take on and off like clothes, it could be something that the Lord wants a more permanent change in your life. Maybe you are hanging out with a group of friends who will do nothing but tear you down.
Psalm 88:8-9 says, "You have taken my closest friends away from me. You have made me sickening to them. I feel trapped. I can't escape. I'm crying so much I can't see very well. Lord, I call out to you every day. I lift up my hands to you in prayer."
These verses really speak to me. The Lord may take away people who you thought were your friends (but I can promise you, if you choosing to make your life better by following the Lord offends, or turns them off, they were never true friends to begin with), but He is right there waiting for you to call out to Him and lean on Him.
Back to school means it's time for a new year, with new beginnings. Is there more in your life that needs a fresh start than just another school year? Are there things in your life you need to turn over to the Lord? Do you need to turn your ENTIRE life over to the Lord? Maybe you have been saved for years, but there is just something, some situation, that you can no longer manage alone. Take this opportunity to seek the Lord and let Him wipe your slate clean! It's time for a fresh, new start!
