Making All Things New
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:1-5a
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:11-13
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
May our good and gracious God renew us by the Holy Spirit as we labor in this fallen world! May our Lord also fill us with hope as we look forward to the new heavens and the earth, the home of righteousness. May we live as God’s new creation, children washed and made clean in the waters of Holy Baptism, to walk in newness of life. As this year draws to a close, may we look to the future and to the blessings and mercies of God that are new to us every morning. My prayer is that these days are a time of rest for you as God renews you for continued faithful service in His name! May God bless us all in the new year ahead! Thanks be to God that He has promised that He will make all things new in the resurrection!
Prayer - Almighty and eternal God, every good and perfect gift comes from you. We thank you for all your benefits, spiritual and physical, which you have given us in the past year. In your goodness, grant us a favorable and joyful new year, defend us from all dangers and adversities, and send on us the fullness of your blessing; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Fraternally in Christ,
President Lee Hagan