A New Master

One of the wonderful aspects of the One True God is He makes all things new.  When a person is born again by grace through faith, the Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside.  We are freed from the bondage of sin and spiritually brought from death to life.  It is like coming out of a darkened grave into the light of God's love.  What warmth and joy we experience!  What a relief, to be free from the burden of sin and to have a new Master.  It was Satan and sin that once oppressed and ruled us.  We were prisoners in a chain-gang serving a life sentence headed to hell with the whip of guilt laid across our consciences.  But in Christ we have been made free and a whole new life for eternity stretches before us like a luscious meadow before a flock of sheep.  Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we love to hear Him call our names.

Though God makes all things new, we continue to live life on earth in a body of flesh.  All the experiences in our prior life can haunt us, and Satan's biting words can still wound.  We can be like dogs abused by their owners who are adopted by a loving new owner from the RSPCA or the pound.  Some dogs have experienced a tragic life which involved torture, starvation, being made to fight, neglect, or disease.  When they are brought into a new home with new masters they can still be fearful from past experiences.  Memories of their old master do not immediately disappear.  It takes love, care, and time for abused dogs to trust anyone again.  Though the dog is in a completely new situation, the creature only sees through the old paradigm.  With a big dose of love, patience, with new freedoms and established boundaries, over time the dog will thrive in the new environment under a new master.

Spiritually speaking, the transformation in a person through the Holy Spirit is far more pronounced.  What is impossible with men is possible with God.  God is able to redeem the tragedies of our past for His glory and our good.  Ephesians 4:21-24 gives us an exhoratation we are called to embrace:  "...if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."  Many people do not obtain dogs from rescue shelters because they want a "clean slate."  They want a dog that has not been abused or that has learned "bad habits" which they must be broken of.  But not our God.  He takes us from the equivalent of death row, having rebelled against God as his enemy.  We have greatly suffered in isolation from fellowship with God.  He does not simply "reform" us but transforms us through the renewing of our minds.  He doesn't just clean our slate, but takes away our slate and gives us a living, feeling heart.  We are given a new Spirit within us.  We are taught to put off the old man - the old way of thinking and living.  We are to have our minds renewed through the truth of scripture, and then to put on the new man "according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."

Let us not cower under the bed or run away in fear when our good Master calls out to us in love.  We have a new Master now, One who loves us with undying love.  Jesus demonstrates His love for us that while we were yet sinners, He died for us.  When the old wicked master comes calling, accusing and abusing you, do not believe a word he says.  Do not listen to him; pay him no mind.  He no longer has power or authority over us.  We answer only to our new Master, the LORD of All, KING OF KINGS.  He makes all things new.