New Or Used?

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here is nothing like the feel and the smell of a new car.  Several years ago I bought my first new car since moving to Texas, not out of the desire to have a brand new vehicle but out of necessity!  The cost of the needed repairs for the old car exceeded its value so I decided to take the plunge and purchase something more reliable with a good warranty.  So one Saturday morning, I ventured forth, hit the road, and selected a new car.

The following Monday, I took delivery of my new vehicle.  I drove it out to my friend’s house where all afternoon everyone in the family took turns riding in it.  The air conditioner worked, the radio sounded great, and the inside of the car smelled wonderful.  That smell, by the way, disappears as soon as the first payment is made, just in case you’re wondering!

I now had to do something with my old car.  I decided not to trade it in but to sell it.  So the following Saturday, I climbed behind the wheel, shifted into gear, and headed for the used car dealership to sell my vehicle.  As soon as I got in, I noticed so many differences between the two vehicles, especially in the ride.  The old car didn’t drive like the new car.  Its gears were more difficult to maneuver, the ride was much rougher, the steering didn’t handle as well and the car took more time to respond than the newer one.

As I drove the twenty-five or so miles to the dealership, I had time to think about that older car.  For years I had been satisfied with it.  It provided transportation, it hauled my groceries, it took me places when I needed to go, and it was fun to drive.  However, it also cost me a lot of money just to keep it going.  The longer I thought about it, the more I wondered why I hadn’t replaced it sooner.  Given the choice between the two cars in my possession, I knew I would never be satisfied with the older car.  But it took the experience of a new car to teach me that lesson.  Hmmm, could there be a lesson for us to learn from this today?

The answer to that question is yes and we need look no further than the book of Numbers to find our answer.  The Children of Israel left Egypt and slavery behind.  They followed Moses into the desert and toward the land God promised to their forefather, Abraham.  There was nothing like the feel and the smell of freedom.  No longer were they under Pharaoh’s control.  There were no more whips, no more mud, no more bricks, no more burdens, no more humiliation, and no more forced labor.  They were freed from all of that by God’s mighty hand and they were going to a new life.

But several times during their travels, they looked back and longed for Egypt.  When things became difficult, when the road ahead took an unexpected turn, when they didn’t advance as quickly as they wanted, they longed for Egypt.  They spent more time longing for their old life in Egypt instead of enjoying the new life of freedom God provided.

We can see this in Numbers 14:4. “And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."  Can you believe they would make such a choice?  Can you believe they would opt for slavery instead of freedom?  Can you believe they would consciously choose their former life over their new one?  Well, believe it!  They did and so do we every single day.

The new life God promised His children required them to leave their old life behind.  They had to venture forth and walk across unknown territory to a place they had never seen.  The terrain was different but the ride was so much better.  They had manna in the morning and quail in the evening. Their clothes didn’t wear out, and all their needs were met.  Yet they longed for Egypt and wanted to choose another leader and go back.  In essence they chose a used car over a new one, with all the problems, costs, and insecurity that came with it.

Funny how we do the same thing.  We are afraid to step out and enjoy the new life God has given us in Jesus Christ.  Our old life always costs us and the costs always exceed the value.  A life without Jesus is worthless because it ends in destruction.  Moreover, there is no joy, no peace, no intimacy with God, and absolutely no freedom.  Why would we choose to cling to such an existence when God offers us something so much better?  Why do we, like the Children of Israel, insist on clinging to our former way of life when God, in Christ, offers us something so much better? 

What kind of life are you living today, used or new?  Believe me, there is no comparison between the two!