All Things New

And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."

Revelation 21:5

 

It isn't a coincidence that the Second Reding this Sunday, from Revelation, ended with these words.

 

Personally, I would rather write up another chapter from "Christianity and the Crisis of Culture" right now than try to reflect on the merits of change. As it is, this is all I have to offer at the moment.

 

I moved into a new apartment this weekend. I find that moving is a humbling experience no matter how prepared you are for it in advance. I find that I'm always  a little more susceptible to home sickness when I move. Signing the lease is what triggers it, I think. I am literally signing up to be away from home and family for another year. My melancholic side eats that up, and assuring myself that it is for the best does not make much difference.

 

There are several things that make this move different, and better all at once. I am moving into the biggest apartment I've had since moving to Peoria for one. I set up my bedroom this weekend and realized that the square feet of my bedroom alone probably equalled the suare footage of my first place in its entirety. That's a great change! There is a dishwasher and garbage disposal with the sink! Perhaps the best material improvement though is that there is a washer and dryer inside the unit! No more quarters for clean clothes!

 

The true cause for joy is that I will have a roommate in this new place. One of my best friends, Shirley! Shirley's friendship is one that has blessed me since I moved to Peoria. She and I went to college together, but our friendship didn't really form until I moved here and I am so grateful for it! I know that with Shirls around I will have the accountability that I need at this point in my life to live for Christ.

 

Yesterday she and I did a little Lectio Divina when our paths crossed and the above verse changed my life! We had both just been commiserating about how we need each other for spiritual accountability and then we came to this glorious verse. Christ makes all things new by the Cross, his suffereing and death provides new life to his people. So it is not without suffering that we find that God is able to make all things new. I pray that my future in this new apartment might be blessed with many more insights like this little morsel.