#A New Creature in Christ

    I was hoping to get a couple of pictures when I went to the beach the other day. I didn't know what I would find and then there it was. A ghost crab burrowing in the sand. As swift as a ghost he was out of the shadow and seemed to pose for my camera. His eyes on little stilts seemed to be saying "Please post me on facebook" So I did.

           I learned later that ghost crabs got their name because of their ability to disappear so quickly. They can burrow up to 4 feet in the sand. They tend to come out at night to feed on insects and just scavenge the beach. At the local fish market the crab barrel does not have a lid. The nature of the crab is to hold onto the crab when it tries to climb out.                               The Hebrew name for the crab is Sartan which means "who holds" and "who binds".

 Have you ever felt like you were trying to break free from something?  I've tried to break free from negative thinking patterns and toward more healthy ones. Its tough. Ive been recovering from a toxic relationship and a ghost of a memory will come out of the its burrow. It wants to feed at night when I cant sleep and scavages on my self esteem. It feels like it wants me to stay in that barrel of my past. Actually, the crab can't help itself because its just responding to it's nature. They even shed their shell but that doesnt change their nature.  Im going to take this subject a little deeper. If the crab would represent what sin is and does we may see it in a different way. Yes, sin is our nature. We were born with sin and yes, we will go out being a sinner. Thats a fact. The good news is that there is hope. Just because we go to church and believe in God, it isnt enough my friend. A relationsip is what is required. We dont change on our own. Of course we can do some self help stuff and for some people that is good enough. Not for me. I need more. I am a wretch through and through, to the core. We arent in a relationship alone. It takes at least another person or else it would be a self ship. So I am going to bring this home for you and get to the point of this post.  Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person, new creature. The old life is gone and the new life has begun.   2 Corinthians. 5:17.  With this being said, our sinful nature is the same. There is a process to endure. Remenber that we are now in a relationship so we aren't doing this alone. God wants to do His part. Let Him help. The Bible says that we must work out our own salvation. Philippians. 2:12     How do we do that? Good question! We do that by the renewing of our minds. Romans 12:2    We dont read the Bible alone either. We are guided by the Holy Spirit. We are transforming through the Word of God. God loves us so much that He changes our hearts. He wants to do what He does best. He wants to be in a relationship with us. Ezekiel 36:26 says...I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.                                                                                                     Get out of the barrel my friend. Trust the process and become a new creature in Christ. Write to me with your comments and any questions.  God is faithful.