Just New
By Shauna Leis
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down for these words are trustworthy and true.’”
Revelation 21:4-5
As we prepare for the New Year, I hear so many people talking about their New Year’s resolutions they hope to fulfill throughout the coming 365 days. People have such different ideas for what needs to be changed: many want to loose weight or just get healthier, many want to finish a project they started (or thought about starting) the year before, others decide they will draw closer to God and studying His word. The resolutions are as different as the people they represent. History tells us that the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions began with the Babylonian empire over 2,000 years ago. But, in those days, the most common resolutions were to return a neighbor’s farm equipment that had been borrowed in the previous year.
For me, God has taught me not to think of these ideas as “resolutions” or nouns, as nouns seem so stationary and so static. But, rather He has taught me to think about them as verbs, to be resolved to do what He has called me to do for the coming year. That way, I am constantly working on them so they are ever changing. The original Greek form of the word resolve comes from “ginosko”, “a primary verb; to know (absolutely) in a great variety of applications: allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) know (-ledge), perceive, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.” The main word that stands out to me in that definition is “know”. When I am resolved, I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is something that I must do, and I am motivated to continue until I reach that goal.
And for me that goal does not stop until Heaven. For Heaven, as described above, sounds so wonderful and perfect. There will be no more sadness, no more crying, no more pain, no more of anything that is negative. He will make all things NEW! And he did not just say it; he told the writer “Write these things down.” Have you ever noticed that when you write something down it becomes so much more concrete? At work, we usually joke about “be careful what you write down, it can be used against you”, especially in things like emails. Once those words are down on paper they seem to just last forever. God was very specific in this command because He wanted to be certain that everyone heard His message of hope. One day, He WILL make all things NEW! His words are trustworthy and true. May God bless you as we enter this New Year.
Pray with me: Lord, Heavenly Father, we are so incredibly thankful to you that one day you will make all things new. We cannot wait until that day that you call us home to heaven and into your arms. But, until that day comes, we resolve to follow you and your will for our lives. We are determined to glorify you by the life that we live. We trust you and the calling into your service to further the kingdom of heaven. May the New Year be filled with your promise and your hope that one day all things will be made new! In Jesus’ Name, we pray, Amen.