Mark 2:21-22 Old Habits

“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” 

Observation

The question being asked is why aren't the disciples of Jesus fasting? Jesus gives a specific answer the the question by stating that He is the bridegroom and it would be wrong for anyone to do anything but feast while He is with them. But then Jesus addresses the underlying struggle of the heart. He says that the new things He is teaching can not be reconciled with the old habits of the past.

It is human nature to bring our past into our present. If you have grown up in church or been in church for a long period of time, you will bring your church experience with you to a new church. It will be the lens in which you view the church. The same can be said of other relationships and situations. But more specifically, we try and reconcile a new identity with old habits.  And when we do we find the garment just doesn't fit. Nothing we can do can make Christ fit in a box, our old habits, or anything else. We have been given a clean slate when we receive Christ in our heart, which means putting every habit under the microscope of Christ (taking every thought captive), and seeing how it lines up with His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Application

I have old thought patterns that still haunt me to this day. I know the truth of Christ and who Christ say's I am, yet I still will pray for God to conform me into an image brought on by what the world classifies as success. No matter how hard I work or pray to be successful according worldly standards, nothing seems to change. The revelation here is that I'm bringing old habits to a new identity in Christ. No matter what I do that will always be a round peg trying to fit into a square hole. So what do I do? I keep on asking God to renew my mind, help me fall more in love with Him, remain in Him, and understand and accept who I am in Him. Faith moved the mountain, but it didn't move the mountain instantly.  Sometimes the mountain moves a pebble at a time. 

Prayer

Father, thank You that I can't manipulate You. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Thank You for the new identity I have in You and that I am tossed about when old thought patterns rear their ugly head.  This loss of peace lets me know that I am trying to put new wine in an old wine skin. Please continue to draw me deeper into You, renewing my mind, and teaching me what pleases You.