But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (II Peter 3:13 ESV)
The Old and the New… and Hope
I have a ‘new’ Bible Study program. I have had it for over a year, but it still seems new to me. My old way of Bible study, involving books spread all over my desk, is no more. Instead, this program lets me peruse my commentaries, dictionaries, and articles while also keeping the verses I am studying open on the computer screen in front of me.
Please understand, though, that my OLD program was pretty cool. It was very (more than I needed) academic. It performed analysis of original languages, comparisons of translations, word searches in Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew. And sometimes I miss those old functions.
But then I discover some way that the NEW program can do those things, too.
And almost every week, I discover something else nifty about it. For instance, I recently discovered that the program will send my calendar a reminder and nudge to finish reading a particular book.
And those types of discoveries give me hope that ALL of my old program’s tricks and functions will be found in the new program, too.
Peter knows that while we have been made new… we still have bits and pieces (and chunks and boulders) of the old still hanging around.
And here he promises that all will be made new. God’s perfected heaven and earth are coming. All of our old ways, habits, desires, failings… well, sins… will be gone.
And ALL will be new. Heaven soon!
Take the hope God grants us.