Old Becomes New

Sometimes, my heart is simply exploding, inspired and driven to new heights by the words of others, or simply by the astonishing beauty and certainty that is the love of God.  Words overwhelm and trip over each other, and I long to say something powerful and sure, strong and long and endless, like a river ever-flowing, and yet...what is there to say?  For, as Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun.

But, of course...we forget.  Though nothing is new, each time it makes its rounds through the world it is received with open arms as the ultimate truth, the final discovery, as though nothing in the world could ever compare.  Where are these discoveries now?  They live on only in the memories of those who saw them blossom, and then they wither with those oh-so-short lives, to be lost to the world in a few generations, only to return someday as "new".

Perhaps, though, it is a good thing that old words become new once more.  For though in this world we had men like the apostle Paul and Peter the headstrong and the leaders of the early church and other champions of the faith throughout the years all the way to the likes of Horatio Spafford and Carl Boberg, writers of some of the powerful hymns we sing today, as post-Christ psalms, or writers like C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald who inspire us still with their words of wisdom...all this fades in memory, sooner or later.  And so it is good that new men and women arise to re-tell the stories, to "sing a new song", as David said, to inspire and drive the world and the church to action once more, for we are forgetful beings.  When old words are forgotten, so must they rise again one day from the mouths of new speakers, as God's way of reminding us of the truths left in the dust of history's plodding march, and they give us strength to go on.  All things grow old and become new, remade once more to bring joy.

Is this not our picture of salvation?  We, as our old, tired selves, receive with joy the gift of Jesus, and we become new once more, so that God may use us as gifts of joy to the world, so that the lives we touch may eventually lead back to Him, and so rises up even more joy to give back.  The old becomes new and our worn-out souls become fresh, strong currents of love-water that washes over others, giving them a taste of the living water of the Christ.

Aimless, wordless babbling receives a purpose and new words rise to flesh out and the old, empty self is left behind as words become a gift.  This is the miracle of God.  Old will become new once more, and He will rejoice over it, and breathe into it an abundance of life that spills over until all is filled with perfect Love, seeping into the very earth in its extravagance.  Oh, how He loves us.