4 minute read
Songs from the Spirit
Out With The Old, YOU’VE BEEN RENEWED!
by Sara Sahm
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away behold, the new has come. (2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 ESV)
I have a stack of old journals I have held onto for years. They are filled with memories, most of which I don’t really want to remember. Still, I’ve never been able to toss them out because they remind me not to forget who I was and to give thanks to God for who I am today. Without Jesus’ grace, I imagine I’d look at those journals and feel shame. With Jesus, I can look at those journals and feel freedom. Every time I open them, I’m amazed at how different I am today. And that is not my doing; it is Christ’s alone! Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV) says, But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
The truth is that I’ve known the Lord since I was a little girl. Some people have a 180-degree turn-around salvation story, but it’s been more of a journey for me. My relationship with Christ developed over the course of my life. We have lots of history! If Jesus were a human, we would have what I’d call baggage. But because He is Jesus, instead of having a relationship filled with past resentments, He looks at me every day and calls me new! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) tells us, Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away: behold, the new has come.
When we hold onto shame and don’t claim our identity in Christ, it’s like saying His sacrifice wasn’t enough. I imagine that hurts God’s heart. He sent His Son, the ultimate sacrifice for any father, to die for us! When we don’t embrace our identity and live under past shame and guilt, we must break God’s heart. I do want to clarify this does not mean we have the freedom to do whatever we want—like sin just because we know God will forgive us. But it does mean we can genuinely lay any shame or guilt from the past at the cross every morning and live this life renewed!
The song below, RENEWED, was written for a Women World Leaders Conference. Be encouraged to live every day new in Christ.
SCAN QR CODE TO LISTEN TO SARA’S NEW SONG “RENEWED”
From a very young age, Sara dreamed of sharing God’s word through music and word. As a child, her favorite quote was, “I love Jesus, and the devil is an idiotic brat.” Through many ups and downs, that dream has become a reality. To write for WWL and have an online ministry is a dream come true for her. Sara enjoys writing not for the million readers, but for the one in a million that needs to hear what she wrote. Sara’s favorite part of ministry is coordinating worship nights and making space for women to come lay their burdens at Jesus’ feet. She is a published author with WWL and sings with her church along with other women’s ministry teams. She credits God’s never ending relentless love for all she has today. Sara resides in Jupiter, Florida, with her family. When she isn’t writing, she can be found scrapbooking and paddle boarding. Her music is available on her website, sarasahmmusic.com.
