Thought for the Day – Saturday 18th April
Words from Revelation 21: 1-5a:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new
earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea
was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a
loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He
will dwell with them; they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.”
and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.”
There is so much talk on the media of what our world will be like when
we come out of this pandemic – much of it obviously at this time just mere
speculation - often by journalists looking to fill time with a story or ask a
politician a challenging question.
We certainly cannot deny that this is indeed a strange time when our
whole perspective on life has changed. Many of us now have a new perspective on
what brings us joy and hope - I mean when before did we ever rejoice at being
able to get some self-raising flour, some chicken or a toilet roll! Hopefully
no more shall we take these for granted or being able to shop freely when we
wish!
I am sure our new perspective is now much more focused on what is actually
important in life --- and what is not important.
Yes, we now seem to understand the value of food more and hopefully perhaps
now think more readily of those who have none in our community and in our world
day-to-day. However, with this new perspective on life of ours I am sure we
also now value our relationships much more – being able to spend time with
family, being able to spend time worshipping with our church family, being able
to spend time with friends, work colleagues, school friends and neighbours,
being able to say goodbye to loved ones - just when we wish to do so - and so
not just our relationships become much more valued but our freedom too becomes
a valued commodity of our life.
We may be in this enforced lockdown but I do think it gives us time to
reflect on what is important - and what is not - and to hopefully gain that new
perspective on life, and the hope for the promise of new life.
Our passage today reminds us that God is dwelling here among us, going
through all this with us and that he making all things new.
My hope is that when all this is over we will not revert back to our
old perspective on life and will retain our totally new perspective on what
brings us joy and hope and makes us rejoice.
Then I feel that we will be working with God in making all things new
here on earth, now – heaven on earth. I pray too that we will recapture what is
truly important in life and importantly that we will not forget how we have
rallied around each other and regain that long-lost feeling of community and
care of neighbour.
Prayer
Loving Lord,
As you are making all things new – refashion us and make us too live
with a new perspective on life – valuing our relationships – valuing others -
valuing your many blessings to us – valuing you in our lives, that might help
in making all things new here on earth. Amen.
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