All Things New
I listened to a sermon a few weeks ago from Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes, of course, talks at length about how, on a human level, everything is meaningless, everything is wasting away — that there is nothing new under the sun. In the sermon, the polished Scottish pastor pointed out that into this nothing-new-under-the-sun world, “Jesus, the Son, came to make all things new.” The Book of Ecclesiastes points us to Our Living Hope by candidly describing life without Him.
I absolutely love that phrase: “Jesus, the Son, came to make all things new.” What a beautiful summation. Then a few days ago Will and I were chatting while we were watering some trees we planted in the spring. I said something about how it often feels like the world is coming to the end, and he said, “Someone asked Martin Luther — I think it was Martin Luther — what he would do if he knew Jesus was coming back tomorrow. And he answered ‘plant a tree.’”
As an aside, can I just tell you how incredibly grateful I am that God gave me Will. He is so fun and funny, but I also treasure his ability to share such an apt quote with me in the midst of watering a tree. I don’t think many people — if any — have the set of skills Will has and I am in awe that God so lovingly gave me such a mate.
But isn’t that an interesting quote from Luther? I looked it up. Will was right, per usual. I think sometimes the state of the world leads to complacent defeatism, even among Christians. This should not be. R.C. Sproul said “Right now counts forever.” We are never called to throw up our hands and say, “I’m done.” We are instead called to continue to do all we can to glorify and magnify Jesus. Every moment counts forever. Christ will make all things new. These two truths coupled together suggest it is always a good idea to keep planting trees, to keep shining the Light of Christ, to ceaselessly redeem and improve whatever we can with God’s help.
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:8-10
Digging Deeper:
Do you have a propensity for defeatism? Do you grow weary in doing good?
Is your “doing good” motivated by love for God and a moving of the Spirit? Or are you trying to earn God’s favor?
How does the truth that “right now counts forever” make you feel?
Specifically, how is it a comfort that Jesus will make all things new?