“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

A caterpillar is a being of humble beginnings. It has limited movement, little understanding of its environment, and a short lifespan. But for those who have experienced transformation in Christ, it can be said that the caterpillar changes its form into something much more glorious. The Bible teaches us that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, something amazing happens: We are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). This transformation is like taking a caterpillar and transforming it into a beautiful butterfly—the difference between before and after is drastic! We become different people in terms of thought processes, attitudes, and outlooks on life.

This metamorphosis can be scary at first, as old habits die hard, but with effort and patience, we can learn to embrace our newly transformed selves in Christ. Of course, yesterday’s devotional was about the slave who refused to let go of his old attitude, yet he wants to be identified as his master’s son. Just like everyone, we want to be recognized as a child of God. However, little do we know that the Bible said in 1 Peter 1:14, “As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.” In other words, As God’s children, let us remain humble and holy, for it is our divine purpose.

Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

It means a lot when people call us a child of God. As God’s children, we were created to have dominion and power in this life and to walk in victory. Yet, we all like to be called a Child of God. We want people to identify us with Christ and be called the apple of the father’s eyes, but we ignore or fail to follow the rules and the regulation of the father. However, the father expects us not to conform to the passion of our former ignorance but to be transformed by renewing our minds daily. He wants us to become more like Christ, more like him, so we can boldly declare that ‘I am a child of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

This is what we are called to do to fulfill our calling as a child of God on earth. It is about being born again and becoming a new person with Christ’s identity. Therefore, let us learn to embrace our new selves in Christ so that we can be empowered to live out the hope and joy of the gospel. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Christ, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

Prayer:
1. Thank God for his Goodness and Mercy for taking us back as His beloved children.
2. Ask God for forgiveness towards any passion of your former ignorance, if there is any. And may the Lord forgive you for all your sin and make you whole again. In Jesus’ name. Amen.