Behold, I make all things new!
Psalm 126
A New Creation
How often over the last year have I heard the plea “if only things would get back to normal”? Just as the exiled people of Israel prayed for God to restore their fortunes and land, we want to go back to life as it was before COVID-19. But do we really want the old normal or are we praying for something better?
God has promised to make all things new. What we weep over now will be shouts of joy in God’s new creation. The seeds we plant will be an abundant harvest. There will be laughter and singing. What a wondrous promise!
Yet sometimes it seems that fulfillment of the promise is a long way away. It is winter. There are no seeds in the ground. Anger, hatred, disease and violence divide us. When will this new creation appear? Yet God has promised us, and we will come through the night of weeping into a morning of song.
Soon we will look once again to the eastern sky and see the shining star of Bethlehem. God’s promise of a new creation is being fulfilled in the birth of His son. Like the angels, we will sing our songs of joy. So hold on, our old normal is about to change. For God, through Jesus, brings us to His new creation. Our night of weeping has become a morning of song!
Lord, stay with us through the night, that we may come to the morning with new hope and live in your promise of joy.
Linda Bender – Central Lutheran Church, Anchorage
Psalm 126
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
3The LORD has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
4Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
6Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.