I suppose that it is customary when beginning a new year to discuss things such as new year's resolutions, fresh commitments, and goals for the coming year. We often talk about what we're going to do differently this year. We might talk about what we learned in 2008 and what we expect for 2009. All of that is fine, but sometimes it can become a bit cliché. Today, as we enter a new year, instead of focusing on what we plan to do to reach our goals, I want to focus on a God that makes all things new.
Revelation 21:3-7
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Look around you and you see lots of hurting, pain, suffering, and death. Probably sometimes in your own life, you've had to struggle with some things. Maybe you've tried to change some habits and have failed. Or, maybe you look around and everything is peachy and you don't see any problems, but you know that you need to be closer to the Lord. As you hear lessons or sermons in church and Bible studies, things jump out at you and you know there are things that you need to deal with. You know there are things that you need to pray about.
Bring it all to God. He wants to come into your life and work on things. He wants to make things new. He wants to fix what is broken, change what is wrong, and restore what was lost. He wants to redeem, transform, renew, and restore. He is the God that makes all things new.
Lamentations 3:21-26
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. 22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “ Therefore I hope in Him!” 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Every day, God gives you a new day. He gives you new mercy. This is why you can have hope. You can have hope because God's love never fails. There will always be more. You may look at your life and see some things that you've done wrong or areas that you know that you need to change. Guess what? God makes all things new! You can call out to him in repentance and he will meet you in that place and make things new. He will bring life out of a place of death.
The Lord is good to those who wait for him. Wait on him and seek him. You will find him and he will give you new hope. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord!
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