New Life In Christ -- by Bailey Gillespie

Reference: Romans 6

We call our home Goose Place. We have at least twenty houseplants of varying styles and personalities trailing about the house, reaching for patches of sunlight. They all survived a blistering California summer. But once winter came, I accidentally left one overnight in the backyard, and it froze to the core. Cold and crispy, the leaves turned black and shriveled. I was pretty sure it was a goner.

Then a wondrous thing happened. After a few weeks of gentle watering and a dash of foolish hope, I saw a brand new leaf unfurl at the tip -- bright, green, beautiful. I couldn't have been more surprised. Despite my neglect, this unabashed little leaf burst into existence almost overnight.

It reminds me of eucatastrophe, a term that J. R. R. Tolkien coined for a sudden, joyous turn of events. Even when all hope seems lost, something often changes the story's end. Death in reverse. Hope restored. What comes after is nothing like what came before. There was an old way of doing things, and now there is a new way. Now, when I look at this little fiddle leaf fig, I don't just see an ordinary houseplant -- I see the power of death-reversing, hope-restoring life at work.

Our resurrected life in Christ is like this, only far better. Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. [Romans 6:4] Just as each bud draws its life from the whole plant -- including that decaying yet nutrient-dense soil -- each of us draws our new life from Christ's glory.

When we stop to think about this, it's wild. God has given us new hearts, new minds, new eyes to bear witness to His miracles. Unlike those in the Old Testament, we live in an age full of first-hand stories that speak to how the resurrection shapes our present life. Many of these appear in Scripture, and others are happening around us. Even in our hearts!

Christ in us changes everything. We are freed from our old self [Romans 6:6-7], the version of ourselves that is unbridled and keeps us bound to sin. We are healed and restored and have the privilege of partnering with Jesus in healing and restoring others. And we have the joy of walking with Him as our companion, friend and King.

How does the resurrection shape our present life? It gives us a lens for hope. It deepens our love for God and others as we experience His presence -- a presence that draws in close and heals our hurts [I Peter 2:24]. And it allows something as simple as a houseplant to reflect Christ's death-reversing, hope-restoring life. Thank you, Jesus, for all you have done for us and continue to do.