As a new creation, you’re no longer controlled by your old behaviour but by your relationship with Christ. Jon Walker writes: ‘A few miles from my house there’s a convenience store that went through a makeover. However, the employees may have missed the makeover memo. The kid behind the counter wore a new uniform…but he also wore the same sullen look I’d seen before. It made me think about how we try to put new wine into old wineskins. Jesus says we’re bound to fail because “the wine will burst the skins, and both…will be ruined” (NIV). But don’t we [do the same] when it comes to our Christian walk? The new wine of honesty-at-work, poured into the old wineskin of cutting corners. The new wine of unconditional love, poured into the old wineskin of hatred for the family two doors down. The new wine of worship, poured into the old wineskin of idolising money, power, music, or the latest video game. The new wine of Bible study, poured into the old wineskin of “gotta-go-pop-tart-for-breakfast” busyness. The new wine of humility, poured into the old wineskin of conceit. The new wine of forgiveness, poured into the old wineskin of bitterness. The new wine of others first, poured into the old wineskin of selfish ambition. The new wine of joy, poured into the old wineskin of jealousy and factions. The new wine of peace, poured into the old wineskin of discord.’ If any of this sounds familiar, it’s time to ditch the old wineskin and let God make you a powerful, new, clean vessel.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.