Mohala Maui (Petals Unfold on Maui)Sample

Mohala Maui 3 (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“Emerging from the long border tunnel, they entered snow country…”

Famous words from the renowned novelist Kawabata. The words are a simple and profound statement. The image is clear, a long and dark tunnel…and then suddenly everything is transformed into a sparkling bright fairyland of whiteness!

One is black and constricting; the other is vast and dazzling. It is a perfect picture of the New Beginning God has granted us and a perfect visual of that most famous Bible verse:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“New creation” is a beautiful phrase! Take a minute to consider what that means…what comes to mind?

Before I came to Christ at the age of 20, I had heard this verse much of my life and had no idea what it was talking about. Then, one day, as I was reading my Bible in my bedroom in Pukalani, the sky opened, and I broke out of the tunnel! The meaning of Jesus on the Cross hit me, not in my head, but in my heart. I slipped off my bed and onto my knees on the floor, and there I uttered the first real prayer in my life; “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

In the blink of an eye, everything changed! I will never forget that moment, and I go back to it to be reminded.

Do you need reminding, too? Yes, you are a new creation.

To find your New Beginning, you may need to do some housecleaning…Kondo Marie had some simple principles to help people do that and became world famous. Her name, in English, became a verb meaning to simplify and unclutter—kondo-ing.

I saw a TV show where she helped some American lady to unclutter her life, and the lady was in tears and hugging Marie. Think of it, though: a life that is uncluttered is clean, it is simple, it is focused. Focused on what? On what is most basic and most vital.

That is your most basic and most vital reality and identity—you are a new creation. And what are you created to do? Simple—to love God. All the old crud and clutter of your tunnel life and memories of tunnel life are done--the new is here, and what wonderful new it is—a life of loving God!

Yes, each and every task…drab housework, boring office work, dull school work…everything gains bright meaning. It’s all new because you are new.

You are a new creation; that tunnel is behind you. Forget it and all that was in it. You are in a new country, you are a new you, everything is changed, and life is simple, clean, and focused—love God. It’s all about Him now, and what could possibly be better than that?

Aloha oe. Thank you for existing.

Dr. Andy