All Things New

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 [NIV]

Life is very unpredictable. One minute everything can be a certain way, and then the next minute life has changed. Things are then different and at times we are not too happy with the way everything has occurred.

The other day I took my dog for a walk. It was so beautiful outside by the lake. The sun was shining. The leaves on the trees were bright and colorful. I took so many photos of God’s beautiful creation. Everything seemed almost perfect.

The next day things dramatically changed. The temperature decreased and the snow came. Snow in October– quite a shock! We were not accustomed to this type of weather this early on. Even worse, the leaves were still on the trees. When the snow collected on the leaves, the weight was too much for the tree to handle. The beautiful trees snapped with the pressure. No longer was it so beautiful outside by the lake. Fallen trees and broken branches were everywhere.

Life is short and we cannot be certain what will happen next. There are people who leave their house in the morning and do not return. There are people who eat lunch and do not realize it will be their last. There are some people who spend decades planning their retirement but never will reach retirement age. Then there are others who put so much stock in their money and in the blink of an eye it is all lost.

Today I returned to the lake. The broken tree branches were removed. The wreckage was cleaned up. I know that the lake will be fine and that the trees will be as good as new. God makes all things new. The question is– do you want to be new or do you want to remain a broken branch dangling from the tree? Like those trees still with their leaves, we cannot support all the weight of the snow in our lives. But no worries, for God can do anything. Give Him the chance.

“‘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.’ He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” -Revelation 21:4-7 [NIV]