The presents are unwrapped and being enjoyed. The flavors of Christmas have receded into a cozy after glow. We turn our minds to The New Year that is ahead even as we look back and take stock of the year behind. We make goals and resolutions in the perpetual hope that is the new year ahead of us.

“New”

In so many ways it is a word of hope.

The hope of something clean and unblemished, the hope of something better, happier, more. Something “New.”

All things truly “new” come from God. Anything seemingly “different” that comes from the world is generally a bastardization of something He already had done. His is always new and pure and clean and beautiful.

God is always making things new.

See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” Isaiah 42:9

It’s His business. To Create New.

Out of Him comes New Breathe, New Life, New Peace.

Out of Him comes a New Year.

Every Year and Day are a brand New Gift from a Father who Loves us. It is always fresh and clean and unspoiled and full of possibility.

Yet so often we reject His gift of New.

We embrace the ugly, spoiled, and dirty thing that we know. It is familiar and comfortable, but it can also be spoiled. We want things to stay the same, but anything that does not change eventually dies.

He does not want death for us, He wants life. He wants New!

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23

New can be so frightening. Life can be so frightening. It’s so easy to hide in old and comfortable instead of moving forward into all that He has for us.

I’m a sentimental soul. I love old things. Old furniture, old traditions, the smell of old books. But when I bury myself in my old-fashioned soul I tend to let life pass me by. When I grasp so hard on the past I destroy what is in my present.

Almost two  years ago now something brand new came into my life. This new thing revolutionized everything about me. I had New purpose, New perspective, New love, all wrapped up in a New Life.

She was such a tiny “New.” Such a beautiful “New.” Perfect, unblemished,  fresh. My Baby. My Child. My gift of New from God.

I was and am so humbled to have the privilege to guide this “New” as she learns about her world. Her new sights, new sounds, new thoughts, new steps, new voice.

He has put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. many will see and fear the lord and put their trust in him. Psalm 40:3

Six years ago this May I embarked on something else that was “New.” A fantastic new adventure in loving, in being, in seeing, in living. The Me that I was joined with another person, and the two of us became something brand New. And as time goes by we are always growing and changing and being made New again and again in this new adventure we build together.

These were New and scary things I had to embrace. I had to turn my back on the old when I chose them. I couldn’t be “myself alone” anymore when I chose to become “us as one.” I couldn’t put “self” first anymore when I reached out and embraced “child.”

New changed my life, drastically, but if I had tried to hold onto old in either instance, I would have killed “new.”

There would be no joyful smiles from a child neglected.

There would be no love in a marriage starved.

God makes all things New.

He brings New Mornings, New Life.

New Hearts.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

The most amazing, incredible “new.”

New Hearts.

Taking an old, battered, scared, worn, angry, bitter, lonely heart and making “New.”

New Hearts.

New, fresh, clean, whole, kind, hopeful, joyful, loving, hearts.

But we are so comfortable with old battered and scared. We are so used to worn, angry, bitter and lonely.

Joy is new and frightening. It can be a painful exercise to a muscle long unused to it.

Fresh and clean is also exposed and tender. Letting go of our angry, bitter armor is a terrifying prospect.

Loving is a brave thing, risking our intimate core.

We are frightened little souls, hiding in our darkness because we are afraid to look at the light.

But the light is beautiful.

The light is peace and love.

The light is new!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Can we be brave enough to embrace new?

Can we open up our hearts to new? Let Him who makes all things new come in and change us into something we are not yet familiar with?

Trust the creator of us enough to expose our deepest parts to His piercing, renewing light?

Can we enter into this New Great Adventure for our lives?

The New Year is upon us, and I pray you embrace God’s New He has for your life. His New He has for your heart.

Let go of old. Embrace God’s New!

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 1 Peter 3:13

~Joy Aletheia Stevens

Photo Credit: London Snow by Mike Fleming (CC BY-SA 2.0)    

Photo Credit: Snow/Snjór in Reykjavik by Helgi Halldórsson (CC BY-SA 2.0)   

Photo Credit:  Pansy in the Snow by Lori L. Stalteri (CC BY 2.0)