“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!'”
Revelation 21:5a
I like new things. I enjoy contemporary clothes rather than vintage and new furniture more than antiques. When I was a fourth grade teacher, the start of a new year brought excitement. I take pleasure in traveling to new places and meeting new people. A new year brings fresh, spiritual goals as I ponder upon a Scripture verse for the year. An aspect of my heavenly Father living within me is my passion for newness.
I love seeing emotional hearts restored and made new. Ezekiel 36:26 is an encouraging promise from God when He says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” It’s exciting to see hardened hearts become softened and repentant as God’s love washes over them. It’s thrilling to see wounded hearts healed as they process their hurt, grieve their loss and forgive their offenders. And it’s inspiring to see discouraged hearts become hopeful as God’s truth permeates their minds.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19) Just as the first signs of tulips blossoming speaks of the hope of winter ending, so too does the new, birth hope in our hearts.
Isaiah 43:18-19 encourages us to not recall the past-our sins, hurt and loss of yesterday. We release the old by repenting of our sins and receiving God’s forgiveness, by grieving our loss, and by forgiving those who’ve offended us. If we stay focused on the past, we will miss out on the present. If our gaze is on yesterday, the beauty of today and tomorrow will be lost. Instead, anticipate “the goodness of God in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13)
During worship yesterday I wept, as I thanked God on Father’s Day for the earthly Dad He gave me. Because of my Dad’s wounded heart, he couldn’t give me what I needed and desired. It was my hurting heart regarding father issues which compelled me to run into the loving arms of my Heavenly Father. In God’s sovereignty, He will somehow cause all the difficult things to work out for our good. The first step is to stop paying attention to our past and to choose to move forward.
God is the One who makes things new. He creates and accomplishes the new thing. It’s not something we can whip up in our own strength. He’s the One who brings about a change. It’s during our trials in life, when we feel as if we’ve been placed up on a shelf and forgotten, that God releases rivers of hope and promise.
As you let go of the past and embrace the present, anticipate God taking you by surprise. Believe and be hopeful; God makes all things new.
“God seeks to deliver me from the guilt of the past and move me toward the promise of the future.”
Priscilla Shirer
Relevant Reflections:
1. What area(s) of your life do you need God to give you hope and make things new?
2. In what way does your heart need to be restored? (A sin confessed and forgiveness received, a loss grieved, an offense processed and forgiveness given, or a hope fulfilled.)