I make all things new!

"And he (God) sat upon the throne and said behold, I make all things new." (Rev 21:5)

Happy New Year! Good-bye 2007 and welcome 2008. Isn't it amazing how we turn out to usher in the new year? More so than even Christmas it seems as if we celebrate that second in time when the clock turns from 1159 to 1200 midnight.

I was watching the broadcast from Times Square and was amazed to hear one million people would cram into the streets near the sight to watch a lighted ball usher in 2008. Some people waited as long as 12 hours to watch this one minute event! What is it about this moment in time that captivates and motivates so many people to stay up late and experience the hands on the clock?

The new year give all of us a new start, a second chance, another opportunity. We make resolutions, promises to ourselves to lose weight, take better care of ourselves, exercise, and read our Bible more. However, we usually fade after a few weeks and we go back to the same habits that we had at the end of 2007. "Well maybe next year."

Not so with our God. He makes all things new (Kainos). "Kainos," in the original Greek means new, but more precisely "recently made, fresh or unworn." This scripture explains that God remakes you when you you call on him for your salvation. He doesn't just improve on what is already there in your life, he completely remakes you into a new creature. When you recieve him into your heart you are a new person. The past is forgotten by God never to be remembered again. Psalm 103 says that he has removed our transgressions from us "as far as the east is from the west."

God is with us now and we don't have to wait until 2009 to start over. We can start right now by going to him humbly in prayer and with a repentant heart and ask for a brand new start and he will be faithful to give us a brand new (kainos) heart.

When you consider the resolution you made last night to improve upon your old self, know that if you fail, God will be there to pick you up and if you ask him he will give you a whole new you!