New and Beautiful
 

New and Beautiful

"Mom! Mom!" called Todd one morning. "Look what happened!" He was clutching a glass jar with holes punched in the lid and some twigs and leaves on the inside.

Mom and Todd's little sister Emily went to see. Mom took the jar, and they peered through the glass. "Oh, good!" said Mom. "This is great!"

"Great?" wailed Emily. "How can you say that? Fuzzy's dead! He's all closed up in that dead piece of skin. He's not even moving!"

"That's okay, honey," said Mom. "You're going to learn a lesson about nature and a lesson about God, too. It's all about new life."

"Is Jesus going to give Fuzzy new life?" asked Emily.

"In a way, He is," replied Mom. "I know you liked Fuzzy as a caterpillar, but this is all part of God's plan for caterpillars. You knew this would happen. We talked about it, don't you remember?"

"Yeah, Emily. When the time is right, caterpillars weave a chrysalis around themselves, and then they change," said Todd.

"I forgot," said Emily.

"The chrysalis is what you see around Fuzzy now," said Mom. "In a way, he dies as a caterpillar while he's in the chrysalis. But in a few weeks, you'll get to see him as a new creature. He won't be a caterpillar-he'll be a butterfly." Mom smiled. "It reminds me of when a person becomes a Christian," she added. "We're spiritually dead when we're born into this world, but when we place our faith in Jesus, we're born into God's family, and we're changed. We become alive in Him. Fuzzy will be more beautiful when he leaves that chrysalis, and our new life in Christ is much more beautiful and free than the old one was."

Todd grinned. "And we didn't even have to spin a chrysalis!" he said.

Mom laughed. "No, Todd. God does the work in us," she replied.

"When Fuzzy comes out of the chrysalis, all new and beautiful, do you think I should give him a new name?" asked Todd.

"That might be a good idea," said Mom with a smile. "I don't think I've ever seen any 'fuzzy' butterflies."

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you aware that without Jesus you're spiritually dead? But the good news is that you can be made alive! Jesus gives new life to those who accept Him as Savior. Sins are washed away, and God says you actually become a new creation. Accept Him today and receive the new life Jesus gives. It's far better in every way than the old sinful life you once knew. (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Keys For Kids Devotion