Scripture: Revelation 21:5a – “And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’” (NRSVue)
Happy New Year, everyone! I like to say that God is always providing us with new beginnings. We have celebrations like today, where everyone looks back at what happened in the previous year and thinks about the good times and bad times, the victories they won, the mistakes they made, and the things they could have done better. And then they look forward to a new year, hoping for something better and promising themselves that they will behave better, whether it is the standard stuff like eating less and exercising more, things like trips or home improvement, or praying, reading the Bible, and attending church more often.
But New Year’s Day is not the only new beginning God provides for us. In the seasons of the church, God is telling a new story from a beginning: Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ baptism, the covenants, the new life in Christ through the resurrection, the birthday of the church at Pentecost. And of course, every Sunday is the beginning of a new week. This is why we have church on Sunday morning, to begin our week with God so that we might find comfort and strength for the days to come. And every morning is a new beginning, which is why we open each day with prayer. And to be honest, each breath we take is a new beginning, as we welcome in lifegiving oxygen and exhale the used up and potentially toxic air of the past.
So many new beginnings. We turn the page on the mistakes we made. We say goodbye to the things or people we lost. And we move on from some of the suffering and tragedy from which we suffered. The Revelation to John is the last book in the Bible, and it contains many endings, including the end of the world as we know it. But it ends with a new beginning. God makes a new heaven and a new earth and says, “I am making all things new.” Even when those in the story suffered from plague, tyranny, and natural disasters, there was always the promise of something new to come.
Today, make those New Year’s resolutions and take account of the things you need to change. But also recognize that God is calling you beyond the bad things that have happened to you and is offering a new beginning on the other side. Make the most of it every year, every day, and every breath.
Prayer: God, please make all things new in my life. Amen.
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