Making All Things New

Embedded deeply within the heart of Christianity, shouts the incomparable truth that God makes all things new. Even more, He loves new things: new songs, new hearts, new heaven and earth, new names, a new and living way, etc. Because sin stained Eden’s garden, we inherited a fallen nature. Therefore like Nicodemus, everyone needs a new birth (John 3:4). To this end, God directed Jesus toward the cross; dying in our place, and purchasing our redemption. He did so by taking all of humanity’s ‘old self‘ into death. Straightaway, His resurrection gave birth to the ‘new self’ “For if a man is in Christ he becomes a new person altogether, the past is gone, everything is fresh and new. All this is God’s doing, for He has reconciled us to Himself through the blood of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17 Phillips).

Fifty days later, on Pentecost morning, Christ followers experienced something unfamiliar and original. They received the Holy Spirit’s fiery presence coming upon them, living within their beings “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a might rushing wind” (Acts 2:2a). When our Creator (re-creates) us in Christ, He does not ‘patch’ up; but rather, makes us into a newly regenerated person “What you learned was to fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living, to be spiritually re-made, to put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life” (Ephesians 4:22-24 Phillips).

Let me bring it a little closer. God wants us. Tenderly, He desires us. Why did He go through all that trouble for wretched, rebellious sinners like you and me? He wanted to. We are the joy set before Him as indicated in Hebrews 12:2. The most healing, powerful, and unique truth I know is…we are beloved and desired. All that we are and ever hope to become, will come about, only by Jesus. And, His pursing grace. He longs to overflow our cups with stedfast hope that cannot be contained; spilling out to others. Patiently, He waits with understanding for the prodigal…knowing who (what) we were last year. Above this, He alone knows our calling and potential for 2015. Doesn’t matter how far we’ve fallen, He reaches to the uttermost (Heb 7:25), turning us in the right direction, if we’ll follow.

So now, let us fall on His great mercy throughout the New Year. Certainly, bright things await “I will write upon him my own new name…I saw a new heaven and a new earth, the Holy city New Jerusalem descending…former things are past and gone.” Then He who sat upon the throne said, “See, I am making all things new!” Revelation 3:12, 21:1-5)