The Old is Just Fine, Why Should We Wish For New?

³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old ^[a]wineskins; otherwise the new [fermenting] wine will [expand and] burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ And no one, after drinking old wine, wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is fine.’

Luke 5:37-39

Each season represents a time of learning and growing. But inside that season you can feel lost, confused, or full of joy and hope. It’s always in hindsight that you see what happened and what God was doing in you and for you. God is always up to something. In the waiting and in the chaos He is constantly working on our behalf. The question is are we willing to let Him work on our behalf? Are we willing to allow His will to happen or will you put up a fight with Him remaining in constant turmoil? Here’s what I know, once I accept the season and situation I am in I begin to see who God is more clearly. I see that He is moving on my behalf. There is a new sense of power and freedom. Which allow me to be a vessel.

When we step into a new season, it’s uncomfortable. It stretches us. God requires us to grow. To grow physically, mentally, emotionally and most importantly relationally with Him. Our most important relationship here on this side of heaven is with God, no one else. God is all we should be concerned about in our everyday lives. And while we live in a season of pain He is only setting us up for something better.

New Wine

Wine is developed from a process. First the harvest. Which has to be done at the right time, otherwise it can affect the chemistry of the taste. Then the crushing of the grapes occurs. Once the grapes are crushed, the fermentation process begins. And in the ancient days of Israel, the crushed grapes are placed into new wineskins in order to properly ferment. If the new wine is placed into an old wineskin there is the possibility that the wine will be wasted from the old wineskin bursting. The entire process is laboring and tedious, yet methodical. Think about this, yes, the old wineskins can still be used, but will th new wine be made how it was intended?

Everything becomes new once the crushing begins.

As Jesus is talking about this process in the book of Luke, I am grateful that God would allow a new harvest to happen for me. As we move into new seasons, there is always a harvest waiting for us, a blessing that He wants to overflow in our life. But in order to steward the blessings (the harvest) properly, we have to make sure that what we are keeping our blessing in, is ready for the process. Everything becomes new once the crushing begins. By allowing God to crush us, we are letting Him also change us. God wants us to remain a vessel for Him. And to do this we must have new wineskins to allow new wine to flow in and out of us.

Wish for New

The old wineskin is not going to hold the new wine. That is not how it was intended. When we go through a difficult season, God is always showing us something new. He is waiting for us to accept our season, to accept our situation, allowing Him to order our steps into His will. If God gives us our blessings while we have the same outlook on life, or are stuck in the same rut we were previously in, how can we properly ferment what we are given. How can we steward our blessing appropriately if we are not willing to remove the old wineskin for a new one? How many times do you think we miss our blessings because God is just waiting for us to stop saying, ‘The old is just fine.’

‘…The old is just fine.’

Luke 5:39

People prefer the old because it is familiar. And if we don’t allow ourselves to grow closer to God in all seasons we will only know the bitter taste. I don’t know about you, but I used to be the person who said ‘The old is just fine.’ No need to crush me, God, I am good right here. But we have to go through the process for new wine so that we can create in us the new wineskin, a change in perspective so that our blessings can be stored there.

God wants us to adapt to His will for us. Yes, it stretches us, it can be painful and unfamiliar. But in the end, we receive another layer of blessing and a changed perspective on who He is. God is waiting fervently to bless His children. So ask Him for new wineskins so we can be stretched and adequately carry the new wine that God has for us.

Take the time to listen to this song by Hillsong. We must be willing to be a vessel so that we can receive new.