The Ultimate Replacement

Today marks three weeks since the doctor took out my left knee and replaced it with a new metal one. It sounds like such a small, little thing, but it was a huge help, even with all the pain. My pain has been very manageable, though, and the new knee really bends very smoothly, and now I go from here. Where is my old knee? Thrown out for sure because there is no need for it anymore. Arthritis was thrown out with it. Yay!!! This is the real "all things new." God is all about replacements as well, and when Jesus comes, our replacement world will be the Ultimate Replacement! Revelation 21:³ I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. ⁴ He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” ⁵ And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”

When you are born again, the replacement "life" has been born, and that is life in the Spirit of God, and the old has been thrown out because it was not working for anything good for us. There may have been some pain along the way to get you to come for the new life in Jesus, but in the end, it is so much better. When you were born again, all things "were" new, and praise God for the newness! If you offered me my old knee back, I would say "no way" because I now know how the new one feels and I like it. That old knee is no good to me or anyone else, just good enough to be thrown in the trash. Isaiah put it this way when it comes to our old life in Isaiah 30: 22 Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags,  saying to them, “Good riddance!”

I am learning to walk with this new knee, and boy, it is an adventure. I get up from a seated position and fully expect the pain of the old knee, but no pain. Would I go back to the old way of living? NO WAY!! Paul had to remind those in the churches to keep enjoying their new, wonderful grace, and they still got talked into following the Law of Moses again, and again, which is death. Here is what Paul wrote to the church in Galatia in Galatians 3: 1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. ² Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. ³ How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? ⁴ Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?

We no longer go back to the old way of living, because the new Ultimate Replacement is an abundant life of hope and power. John 10:¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. The Ultimate Replacement is Jesus and the promised Holy Spirit to live in this evil world, but He is enough. The Psalmist wrote these words in Psalms 16: 1 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You. ² I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides You.”

The Pilgrimage Continues,

David Warren