WELCOME

“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me." Matthew 10:40


I have been thinking a lot lately about new beginnings. I can't help but feel that we all as human beings, constantly go through a process of welcoming in new beginnings. Although change can be a scary thing, especially if it includes a major upheaval, like moving home, changing jobs or starting a new relationship, somehow the idea of progress agrees with us more than the worry that we could just stand still or get "stuck in a rut". 


We all relish the fact that we can let go of our past, and proclaim a new, shiny existence that is going to be better than the former. In fact many of us do this on a yearly basis, as new years eve rolls around we rush to think up extravagant resolutions , self-improvements, the "new year, new me" transformation. How many of us reach February feeling that our lives have changed quite so dramatically? 


We are, by nature, obsessed by change. The new sport we will take up. The new hair colour. The new wardrobe. The new language we will learn. The new blog. I will be the first to admit I have attempted each of these, multiple times. I will also admit, that I have never felt in any way transformed by any of these life changes. None of them are long-lasting, or the magic ingredient that will make my life better, healthier, happier. In fact, if we spend our life chasing after that better life, that "new me" that everyone will like better, we never will be happy. 


Maybe the problem is motivation. If I was motivated enough, by now I would speak French fluently, play the guitar effortlessly, be 2 stone lighter and have saved up enough money to go travelling in the United States. Alas, these resolutions of years gone by have never been fulfilled."What's your point?" I hear you cry. "Isn't this just a bit depressing?" you moan. "Is there no hope for self-improvement?" And the answer is, well, no. Not from us anyway. 


(Analogy Time --->) An artist is painting a mural on a brick wall. He spends hours and hours, carefully getting it perfect, the blue sky, the green grass, the bright shining sun, and when he looks at the finished image he finds it is good. What if over night, whilst the artist is sleeping, someone else comes along and vandalises his masterpiece, spray painting blue on the yellow, red on the green and orange on the blue? Can the mural itself erase these bits of graffiti? Can it wash it clean and repaint the damaged parts? It is the artist who scrubs it clean and fixes the mural. It is he and only he who can make it as beautiful as it was before. Can you guess who the artist is?


God is our creator. He made us perfect. Not only that but when we became dirty and damaged, He sent us part of Himself in human form to scrub away at those flaws and sacrificed Himself to makes us shiny and new. We were created again. The ultimate transformation. An infinite amount of second chances, of new beginnings. We are constantly renewed, recreated by the LOVE of Jesus. And if that didn't seem enough, He even gave us His Spirit so that we can have a part of Him within us; the new clean, shiny, happy us. 


"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18


SO to turn from one infinitely incredible new creation to another slightly less impressive one, I would like to WELCOME you to this blog. I don't claim to be an amazing writer or  theologian or have any form of insight, but I hope that the posts here will be filled with words from God, guided by His spirit. I'm not entirely certain on the form that this blog will take, but it will be a space for my thoughts on life as a student, as a Christian, as a resident of Bristol, England. 


With that I say Goodnight, God Bless and Welcome!