THE NEWS...
What’s new? What is it with new things, new experiences, new opportunities, and new routines? Somehow we are wired to be excited by the new. This leads us to put to one side the old Tonka toys we used to play with and chase after new toys which may be slightly more complicated but essentially they are just time consumers like the old Tonka toy. Of course, Christians are better than this – we are not consumed by consumption of the new. However, some of us like to watch the news each day, many of us were transfixed by the 1pm stand up news in lockdown, and some of us want for new experiences or things.
We would be fooling ourselves if we weren’t real about the desire for new in each of our lives. The ability to delay gratification (impulse control) is what sets those who achieve long term goals from those who don’t.
Are you keen for something new?
Revelation 21 is full of new things, like a new heaven and a new earth where God’s dwelling place is ‘now among his people’ like the Eden garden picture God dwells with His people and in verse 5 it is declared, “I am making everything new!”.
That is not to mention the verses about becoming a new creation (2 Cor 5:17 & Gal 6:15) – 2 Corinthians declares the old is gone the new is here. We are already a new creation! New.
We look forward to the time of a new heaven and earth, but right now we are a new creation in a groaning world. A world where racism still exists, where being black and angry is not a choice but a result of grief suppressed. If you want to understand something of the reasons why there is so much pain in America right now I would encourage you to search on YouTube “Holy Post Race in America” it provides statistics for the systemic racism in that country. Perhaps before we declare that it is only in America, it would be worth thinking about the statistics of New Zealand prisons, New Zealand poor, New Zealand unemployment and what groups are over-represented?
I’m fully aware that this treads on shaky ground and may challenge some people’s views, but... maybe we should try something new? Where we have different opinions, but we listen – because we are a new creation destined for a new creation we ought not to respond like everyone else in this world. We are required to respond with actions of justice, loving mercy and walking humbly (Micah 6:8). None of which includes shouting down other people, but always involves something new, that is: listening and caring.
Perhaps we could try that this week? That’d definitely be something new!
Bloom in Grace,
Warren
1 July 2020
Previous Blogs
The News... : Warren, 1st July 2020Shhh - Listen : Warren, 19th June 2020
Relief? : Warren, 11th June 2020
On the Cusp : Warren, 4th June 2020
In the Beginning... : Warren, 28th May 2020
Seasons : Warren, 21st May 2020
Aroha|Love : Warren, 14th May 2020
How is your mind? : Warren, 7th May 2020
On the Level : Warren, 1st May 2020
Signs : Warren, 24th April 2020
Whakaaria Mai : Warren, 15th April 2020
Essential Worker or Not? : Warren, 8th April 2020
Rumours : Warren, 1st April March 2020
What Would Jesus Do? : Warren, 25 March 2020