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"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" (Isa 43:19a)
Renewal always brings us a sense of freshness and warmth—think about the joys of a sunrise or the anticipation of spring, or even just the delight of shopping for new stuff. And God is a God of newness! Renewal is part of God's ultimate design for the universe, as John reminds us in Rev 21:5: "And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'"
We can see this newness in so many different ways in the Bible, and I think it's really indicative that God has been consistent with this renewal plan since the dawn of creation. Here are three meditations on newness for us as 21st-Century Christians:
Firstly, we have a new covenant (Jer 31:31–34; Heb 8:13). This supersedes the previous covenants that God made with the nation of Israel, and allows both Jews and Gentiles to be saved from the penalty of sin. And because Jesus Christ has already died on the Cross for our sins, the covenantal conditions have been satisfied, and we can enter God's Kingdom without needing to fulfil the Law (which is great news, because we couldn't have done that anyway!).
Secondly, we have a new self (2 Cor 5:17; Eph 4:22–24). We are no longer slaves to sin, but because we have been clothed with Jesus' righteousness, we are new creations! We are no longer subjected to the powers and principalities of this Earth, but Christ lives in us, and we are enabled to live lives obedient to the King of kings and Lord of lords—we are saved from the power of sin.
Finally, we will have new heavens and a new earth (Isa 65:17; Rev 21:1). Eventually, after Jesus comes again, we have the hope of living in a recreated universe, where we will be with God, and there will no longer be pain nor sorrow! We will be saved from the presence of sin, and instead there will only be worship and joy. The universe and all of mankind will be just as God designed and intended.
And so we can think of God's newness as past, present, and future. As All Sons and Daughters sing in "Rest in You", God never changes, but He changes everything. When we might be ruffled by changes in our world, let us instead take God's perspective, and proclaim along with Him: "Behold, God is doing a new thing!"
– alvin(:
Another thing that God gives us that is new is mercies every morning (Lam 3:23). How does that change the way we look at God and ourselves? How does that affect the way we live our lives, and how we manage our worries and anxieties? Dave Zuleger considers these questions in an exposition of this well known gem of hope in the middle of a book literally about lament, and perhaps it may give us hope in the middle of our despair as well.
Jeremy Riddle – Writing Lyrics for the Church
The Psalms remind us many times to sing a new song (e.g. Ps 96:1), and really if God is making all things new, we will always have new words and new melodies to put to new revelations and new experiences. Jeremy Riddle gives us some great handles on songwriting from a corporate perspective, but more than that I think there are some great reminders for us as worship leaders and worshippers ourselves.
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LOVKN – New Life
LOVKN is Steven Lufkin, an Arizonan singer-songwriter who does light acoustic music with indie-folk feels, stripped to about as bare as you can get. This track is no exception, with delicately layered voices, an acoustic guitar, and the most basic of percussion, but that doesn't hinder LOVKN from writing and producing music that is creative and groovy. What really brings it home is his experiential writing style—following along to the lyrics of his songs feels like going along a narrative, and is never static. "New Life" is about living a new life in Jesus, and is a wonderful tune to sing along to (and agree strongly with!).
Also by Lovkn: Breath of Life, There's Nothing Like Your Presence
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Ethan C. Davis – Old Clothes
Ethan C. Davis is part of the Isla Vista Worship family, and has released a solo album entitled Serenade. The album is a wonderful collision of retro styles and electronic production, but I really like the intimate tone that Davis takes in his songwriting, which sound like conversations between close friends. "Old Clothes" is also about living a new life in Jesus, with a little cheeky rhetorical question at the centre of the song: "How am I supposed to wear these old clothes—when You made me brand new they didn't fit anymore!" The song itself is also a great bop, and you'll probably find yourself grooving along to it subconsciously.
Also by Ethan C. Davis: Breakthrough, No Time For Shame
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Tomorrow morning, as you head to school or to work, take a look at the sunrise, and remember the God of abounding newness. How great He is!
Over and out!
EUPHOR!A // ISSUE 23 // SEP–OCT 2018