May 7 Devotion - Old & New Vessels

“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."

وَلاَ أَحَدَ يَضَعُ خَمْراً جَدِيدَةً فِي قِرَبٍ عَتِيقَةٍ، حَتَّى لاَ تُفَجِّرَ الْخَمْرُ الْجَدِيدَةُ الْقِرَبَ، فَتُرَاقَ الْخَمْرُ وَتَتْلَفَ الْقِرَبُ. إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ الْجَدِيدَةُ تُوْضَعُ فِي قِرَبٍ جَدِيدَةٍ».

Mark 2:22 

Biblical scholars have many interpretations of this parable that Jesus told.

I understand it to mean: We cannot conform to the teachings of Jesus unless we:

1. Renew our thinking and unlearn what the secular world has taught us (and continues to teach us), and

2. Allow Jesus to heal the past, and

3. Adopt His way of thinking.

Pouring His teachings into our saturated minds requires us to first empty our minds of the secular teachings. The same way that you cannot pour any new tea into a cup that is already full, the new tea will just end up in the saucer. However if you empty the cup you can fill it with the new tea, or the good news of the Gospel, if you will.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and deep inseparable love. Lord, help me today to become a new vessel. Help me through the Holy Spirit to release old thinking, old habits, old pains, secular beliefs, and anything that would keep me from being the best You created me to be for You. Strengthen me by Your Spirit and guide me so that I can live my life in a way that pleases You. Make me into a new vessel and pour Your Spirit into me. Jesus You are the vine and I am the branch and I am nothing without You. Help me to abide in You.

Jesus I pray in Your precious Holy Name. To You be the power, the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein