Hello everyone, 
More often than not, we think that welcoming Jesus into our lives means we can stay as we are. The truth is : we have to change. 
It’s the least we can do. It’s basic love and courtesy we should offer Jesus. 
Let’s look at it this way : Jesus loves us exactly as we are, messy, broken, and full of bad habits. He meets us where we are, even if we feel like beggars, rejected and unworthy. But when He invites us into His life, His Kingdom, there comes a transformation. There should come a transformation. 
Imagine a poor beggar being welcomed into the house of a rich, generous man. The beggar is accepted, not for what they wear or what they’ve done, but because of the love and generosity of the host. 
Yet, to truly live in that house, they must leave behind their tattered, dirty clothes. The rich man provides something far better, a shower, clean and beautiful clothes, nourishing food, and a new lifestyle befitting the home they now inhabit.
In the same way, Jesus invites us into His life. He doesn’t condemn us for our past, but He asks us to let go of old habits, sins, and ways of thinking that don’t belong in the presence of the King. 
Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Just like the beggar now dresses differently and eats differently because they live in the rich man’s house, we begin to live differently when we embrace Jesus. Our thoughts, words, and actions begin to reflect the holiness and love of the King. 
And why should we hold on to the past when He offers us something much better? 
Being loved by Jesus is free and unconditional. But walking in His presence calls for a response: a willing heart to leave behind what doesn’t belong and accept the better things He provides. It’s not about earning His love (we already have it, we wouldn’t have even been invited in His house if He didn’t love us in the first place). it’s about stepping into a new life that reflects the love and life of the One who gave Himself for us.
Reflection:
What “old clothes” do you need to leave behind today to fully step into the life Jesus offers?
