It may seem odd to say but God is always the same about new things. God never changes. As things change…God doesn’t. That should bring you comfort and security.
Ecclesiastes 1:9
That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
So what do we do with the following verses? Basically, it has never changed that God has made all things new, yesterday, today and tomorrow. God has, does and will make old things new when the old is turned over to Him. Count on Him being consistent with changing of a person’s heart as He always has…then, now and later. God never changes from changing our hearts to new. Confused? Let’s make this simple…there is NOTHING new with them “dropping the ball” on New Years…but every year is a new year to do the same thing thus making it a new year!
With that said…let’s look at how God works in us in NEW ways like He always has in others before us, those along with us and those after us!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a NEW person.
The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
This is a comforting thing to embrace. Who wouldn’t want to be made new from all the old junk in our pasts? However…in order for this new to happen, we first need to belong to Christ. Do you? Then He will make you new. But note the word “begun”…yup, it has to be maintained. Its a new start for you to move forward.
Revelation 21:5
And the One sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything NEW!”
And then He said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”
I love it…God says “write this down”…”take note”…engrave this…it’s NOT going to change. But again we see God doing His part by saying “making…” It is not a completion, it’s a start. The One on the throne…the One in charge of changes. It’s a procession, we call that sanctification.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
Now this verse should help us understand that during this “making”, this new beginning, we’re going to mess up. But God is there for us. Not to strike us down…point His finger and shame us. NO! He is there to lift us up, brush us off and set us back on the right path. EVERY DAY He is there to forgive and show His mercy to us. Every day…mercies…RESET! Not for us to take liberty of but to fall into His arms.
Ezekiel 36:26
And I will give you a NEW heart, and I will put a NEW spirit in you.
I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.
I love it when God explains in simple visual ways how He’s changed me. First off it implies there was an old me…and apparently my heart was hardened…like a rock. I get it. Oh wait, You mean I was stubborn…YUP. But to be given a softened heart, one that responds to God because it is soft to pulses and pumping of God in me.
Isaiah 43:18-19
“But forget the past, it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something NEW.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
God wants us to be aware of His part in our lives. He doesn’t want us to dwell on our pasts but on the path He has set before us. He actually is asking for us to see what He is doing…focus on His direction. It should bring us comfort in where we are headed compared to where we’ve come from.
Psalm 40:3
He has given me a NEW song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what God has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
When we acknowledge that God has made us NEW sometimes we can’t help but burst out in song. I’m not saying it sounds good but it sure comes from the depths of a life that has been given forgiveness from sin and hearts made new. But this verse takes it up a notch. It lets us know that when others see the change in our lives…our new lives…they will put their trust in God. Imagine…your NEW life a witness to God’s NEW MAKING POWER of salvation. When someone says “what is making you different…you seem like a new person?” How do you respond. Let them know, it’s not YOU doing anything…it’s God who made you new.
See…God is always the same…no changing in Him…the change is in YOU!
God, the same yesterday…today and forever…making us NEW!
Pastor Steve