(By Rachel Joyce)
For the last few weeks, my focus has been on revamping our website. As I worked with Chloe Zuidema of Chloe Jane Design, there were so many decisions that had to be made. What kind of mood or atmosphere did I want to create? The choices we made with the pictures and font would impact how it felt to look at the pages. So the first step was a “mood board.”
The feel we went for was peaceful and graceful with a touch of dark. I wanted our readers to feel the grace and beauty our God provides through the difficulties and sorrow of life. I was pretty particular, but she was patient and finally, she turned my vision into reality. She worked her magic and the website was made new.
So the concept of being made new has been on my mind lately; we belong to a God who specializes in this. He made a new covenant: “But this is the new covenant I will make…I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Jer 31:33). He has written on our hearts. He is our God. We are His people. And He is working in us. The God who made a “pathway through the wilderness,” who created “rivers in the dry wasteland” is the One who has redeemed us (Isa 43:19). His Word reminds us “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Cor 5:17). A little while ago I wrote a poem about this:
“My sins, Lord?”
“Yes, Child. Every one.
Not even a stain is left.
You are cleansed and made pure,
Holy in My sight.
You are mine.
Bought with precious blood.
I bore the whip, so you could be healed.
I took the beating, so you could be made whole.
You are mine.
Bought with My blood.
My shoulders felt the weight of your sins.
The lash bit into my back. I felt your shame.
I bore your heavy load.
I took your place and now you are free.
Cleansed. Redeemed. Made new.
You are Mine.
Precious.
Loved.
Forever.”
But that was only the beginning. What He began at salvation, He continues every day of our lives. He transforms us day by day and little by little. And there is coming a day when the sorrows of this life will give way to the glories of the next. Listen to the promise we’ve been given, “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.’ 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’” (Rev 21:3-5).
His Word can be trusted. There is coming a day when we will be made completely new. Sin, sorrow, sickness, and pain will be forever gone. The One on the throne has promised. We will be with Him, to share in His glory, to bask in His love, and to delight forever in Him.