“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
As the new year begins, it brings with it a reminder that we serve a God of creation. And these words written by Paul echo the same sentiment, God is in the business of making things new. Because of this it can be very tempting to look back at 2020 and all of the struggles that it contained and to think that it is only in the past. This is a new year. It’s the dawn of a new age. And God is making everything new, all the old things will pass away. So all of those troubles can leave us behind as we start out fresh. This is the day of new beginnings! But we should be careful. That’s not what the Scripture says.
Unfortunately, the troubles present in our society will not disappear simply because the calendar turns a page. It should be crystal clear by now that God is not normally in the business of rescuing us out of our problems. Instead, he transforms us to be able to walk through the problems. And promises to walk through them with us. You see, Paul did not say “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, all their problems will melt away and they will get a new world to deal with.” Instead, he tells us that the promise of God is to make US new.
It is my prayer for us during this new year that we will confront the situations we face in 2021 with new eyes. God is ready, willing, and able to make us new, if we will allow our old selves to pass away. This means we will be confronted with some choices as to which viewpoint we will except.
Some tell me that the state of politics is the worst it’s ever been. Really? In the 60s, two Kennedys and Dr. king were assassinated along with many others. But everyone’s rioting in the streets! OK, but I see people caring for their neighbor and making an effort to better understand those that are most different from them. But, the pandemic! OK, but I see families getting closer and the busy pace of life being simplified.
The truth is, you can’t say that one set of these statements is true and one is false. They are all true. But we get the choice to decide what we focus on and how we view it. I heard someone say recently, “you do not have to find joy in the snow. But if you don’t, you’re still going to have the snow but with less joy.” I am thankful that I am in Christ Jesus, and therefore I am being made new. I understand things in a new way, I see things in a new way, and I experience things in a new way. I must let the old man pass away. The old way was to whine, complain, and to look at what’s missing. And I choose to live into the new creation that Christ is bringing about in me. And this new creation never ceases to see the glory of God in the land of the living.
Would you join me this year? That doesn’t mean that you stick your head in the sand or ignore the pain of hurtful situations. But it does mean that we recognize that sorrow and suffering are only part of the human experience. And every time they are delivered, hope, peace, joy, and love are contained in the same package.
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