Change - He Gives and Takes Away

And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Revelations 21: 5

Today, once again, I'm taken by this portion of His Revelation…He makes all things new…what a refreshing thought…

In this age of darkness and desolation, when the entire world seems up-side-down, let along our own personal lives, knowing that our Trustworthy God himself declares, from His very own throne, that He is already making all things new, surely brings hope to an otherwise seemingly hopeless existence. Even when we are face down on the floor, gasping for air, bleeding hope out of every pore, we could be reassured that He is, at that very moment, making it all new. The pain we feel is the pain of the old order passing away, which is never easy. 

Making things new is not a smooth proposition. Not many people I know like change. My kids certainly hate it. I’m not very keen to it either. The way I see it is that the main reason we don’t like change is because change always involves leaving something behind. That something, often times, is something dear. Like seeing the old family car been driven away by a stranger after we sell it. Or closing the door of an old house behind us for the last time…or packing our personal effects and clearing up the desk that represented our home for over 8-hours a day for the last decade or more…change always means ripping ourselves apart from something we once held dear, but it is not meant for us any longer. 

The good news is that more often than not, change ends up being good! Many times the newer car is better, the new house is nicer and the new job is more rewarding. It doesn’t make it any easier, though. Especially when what is left behind or what is lost is a loved one…and we are there, at the moment of transition, when we are up in the air, in that dark void of pain and uncertainty, not sure of what’s ahead, that’s when change becomes its scariest. That’s when the enemy takes advantage of us and of our weakness to implant the seeds of fear and doubt in our soul with the evil goal of creating separation between us and Our Lord. 

At that moment, when we feel lost, we remember that the One who lives in us is still there. And we call on Him, claiming His trustworthy promises, relying on His deliverance and mercy, knowing that He is making all things new for our own good. At that moment of instability, we remember who He is and what He has done. On that hour of loss we remember that…

The God of the Universe holds us by His right hand! (Isaiah 41: 13) He knows our name! (Isaiah 43: 1) He is making all things new! Whom/what then shall we fear? (Psalm 27:1) So we say: Blessed be His Name, when He gives as well as when He takes away!

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