Galatians 3 is a heavy chapter. We have been plowing through the chapter for a couple weeks now. I decided to take a break this morning to see what history can teach us.
On October 9th 1986 Phantom of Opera makes its’ theatrical debut. The musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End. The plot of the musical was inspired by French author Gaston Leroux’s novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, which follows the life of Erik or the Phantom, a disfigured musical genius. The musical is the longest running show on Broadway. The book by Leroux was first published in 1910 with its’ first media adaptation coming as a movie in 1925. Lloyd Webber’s musical adaptation is by far the most well-known adaptation of the novel.
This reminds me of the famous passage found in 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
When is the last time you heard a reference to Gaston Leroux? Before writing this devotional, I had no idea who the guy was! This is because the story of the phantom of the opera we associate with the musical. I am might be pigeonholing myself. Perhaps, he is a well known guy, but for me, I have never heard of him.
This is how it is with God. God doesn’t remember the old you. This is because faith in Jesus atones for your past mistakes. When God thinks of you he thinks with verbiage similar to the verse above. He is making you new. Your old self may bring you down. Your old self may bring your family down. Your old self may have ruined past relationships or careers. But the old you, does not define you in God’s eyes. You are a new creation. Be known for your new self. For that is exactly how God knows you.