A New Start

God has made it clear: He wants our lives to be clean and pure. We see the importance of purity in principles He gave about cleansing a home.

This process began with two birds. One bird was to be killed. The person cleansing the home was to dip the live bird into water and the blood of the dead bird. Then he was to release the live bird-whose freedom was made possible by the sacrifice of the first bird.

This picture is filled with symbolism about how our lives can be clean. For God’s people, purity begins with death- putting the flesh to death, making sacrifices and offerings to God. But as we watch what happened to the second bird, we see that our sacrifice makes it possible for us to be clean and to have a new start.

As happened to the second bird, all that we have must figuratively be dipped in the blood. For the Believer, this blood symbolizes what Jesus did for us. As Paul wrote, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Just like that bird, we now are set free because of the blood of Jesus. Having died in the flesh, we are liberated, set free in the Holy Spirit.

How do we experience “newness of life”? Paul wrote that this means being buried with Christ “through baptism into death” (Romans 6:4).

Today, realize that God is ready to give you a new start and set you free from guilt, sin, and anything that holds you back. This begins when you make a commitment to Him…repenting of your sins and accepting the sacrifice of Jesus as the Lamb of God…realizing that His blood was shed that you might be forgiven. Declare that He is your Lord, and live for Him!