The Joys of Newness

Yesterday, God blessed me with the ability to buy the new Dierks Bentley cd "Home" that I had been wanting for a very long time!  What's even better, I only paid a little over $2.00 for it! Sweet! You may be asking: "How did that happen?!".  I had recently gotten a $10 gift card from Target Pharmacy for purchasing one of my prescriptions I had transferred from Walgreens.  By the time I applied the $10 gift card to the cd, it was only a little over $2!  I was totally psyched!  I am a big Dierks Bentley fan!  

I hardly ever buy brand new cds!  Most of the time, when I want to listen to a cd I don't all ready have, I go to my local library's website and put it on hold.  When it arrives, I go pick it up.  Shiloh--my oldest son--and I go to the library atleast once a week!  So I am picking up cds weekly!  When I do want to go buy a cd, most of the time, I will order the cds from http://www.amazon.com/ .  Amazon has great prices on items such as cds, dvds and books!  The majority of the time, I will order a used cd usually in "Like New" or "Very Good" condition!  The cds always arrives quickly, and I am pretty much always happy in what condition they are in!
 
 However, there is nothing like buying a brand new cd!  I enjoy taking off the plastic, opening up the case, and even smelling the new cd and its booklet!  Have you ever done that?  I so enjoy the smell of the new cd booklet and the new cd!  There's something refreshing about its smell!  And the excitement of looking inside the booklet to preview the lyrics of the songs that are on the cd and seeing the new pictures!

I wonder if God takes the same joy as I do when I open new cds when he sees new children being born into His kingdom?  Do we exhibit a magnificent "new" smell when we are born again?  Does he enjoy taking in our new smell?  Does He enjoy seeing our "new" look?  I believe He does!  
Luke 15:7 (NLT) says this: "In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!".Jesus died and rose again so we could have a close relationship with God!  When we pray to Him, when we worship Him, when we share our everyday experiences with Him, etc... it brings God joy! And you know what?  When we bring God joy by being in a close relationship with Him, it also brings us joy!  It's a win-win situation!  And the joy God gives us no one nor no event in our lives can take away!  Proverbs 13:9: "The life of the godly is full of light and joy...". 

Have you given God joy lately by becoming a new creation in Him?  If not, what are you waiting for?!  You have Hell to lose, eternity with Christ, and a life of joy to gain.