All Things New

In Revelation 21:5, God speaks from his throne and says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” It is a part of a passage that describes the new Jerusalem marked by God’s presence and the removal of all pain and death. The incredible imagery used to describe this is incredibly glorious and hard to comprehend. Over the last two weeks, I have been surrounded by all things new. Okay, Liverpool isn’t paved with gold with walls made of precious stones… but everything in Liverpool is new to me. 

Yesterday, as we unpacked the last suitcase in our new apartment, made dinner in our new kitchen, and relaxed on our new couch, there was a real sense that we are starting to settle into our new home. Everything is new to us! We’re at a new church, making new friends, walking new streets, and experiencing a new culture. Even though we speak the same language, we’re learning new terms and new slang that are important to understanding everyday conversations. The newness we are experiencing has been exciting and a lot of fun, but also challenging at times. We are slowly adapting to the changes and also seeing our boys navigate their new life. 

After about one week of living in Liverpool, we asked Silas, our oldest son, what his favorite part of living in England was. He said that he liked not having a car and getting to walk everywhere. This is something that I enjoy as well. I like not thinking about paying for petrol (gas), vehicle maintenance, and also getting my steps in. But it’s all fun and games until I needed to carry our new microwave 0.75 miles home from the shop. Another change is how we do laundry. Our new washing machine is much smaller and is situated under the kitchen counter. There is no tumble dryer. So we are doing laundry more frequently and utilizing our new clothes line in the back garden.

These are just a couple of examples of the newness we are experiencing. It’s not a negative or positive change; it’s just simply different. But these changes dramatically shift our daily rhythms and routines. We can’t function like Americans in the UK. We can’t live like we’re in small-town East Tennessee when we live in a big city in England. 

As I have meditated on God’s words in Revelation 21 and his promise of newness throughout scripture, I have thought about how we adapt to the newness he brings to our lives. Of course, Revelation 21 is the pinnacle of God’s renewal, but we are also promised a new life that begins when we put our faith in him. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” There is a present reality of the change that Christ brings with immediate effect.

In Genesis 1, God created something new, humanity. He looked at his creation and said that it was very good. But as soon as sin corrupted all of creation, there was a need for a renewal, a remaking of the world. The whole story of the Bible is that of God’s perfect plan of restoration, breathing the newness of life back into the death that sin had brought. 

In the Old Testament, God introduced a new people from Abraham, who were supposed to live in a new land and in a new way, with a new set of good laws. But despite the goodness and beauty that were offered in the new, the Israelites continued to try to live in their old way. 

In the New Testament, Jesus brought new life through his death and resurrection. Those who put their faith in Jesus follow him by putting the old to death, and walking in newness of life (Romans 6:4). 

As followers of Jesus, we not only have the command but also the ability to live in a new way. We’re not enslaved by our old sin. Our new freedom is supposed to shape our lives to look more and more like Jesus. Much of the New Testament is written to individuals and churches that need reminders and examples of what this new life is meant to look like. Our issues arise when we claim to be Christ-followers but continue to act in our old, sinful ways. 

Those who are in Christ must learn the new culture, must realize their new identity, and must adapt to the new life. Like Christian in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, our old life and our old country must be left behind. We are called to be sojourners and exiles in this world because of our new citizenship. Despite our comfort with the way we used to live, the convenience and familiarity we found in our sin, it must be abandoned. 

The beauty of this movement is that God prepares our way before us. He gives us direction and comforts us with his Spirit. He gives the church to be a place where the new life can be lived out in community, and we can encourage fellow pilgrims on the journey. 

As our family adapts to our new life in England, we are very aware of our need to adapt to the new culture around us. We can’t drive on the right side of the road without ending up in a wreck, and if I put English gravy on English biscuits, it would be disgusting. We are so thankful for our church community, which has helped us navigate all of the newness. They have been so gracious to us as we learn the ins and outs of English culture. More than that, we are thankful for a church that firmly, graciously, and mutually teaches and lives out the new life found in Jesus. 

As I reflect on my new physical environment and what it means to adapt, it has caused me to ask myself, Where am I letting myself slip back into a spiritually old way of life? Where do I choose old sinful ways of thinking rather than letting my mind be renewed by Jesus? I look forward to when God will ultimately make all things new, when the old is completely wiped away, and we will live in God’s presence forever.