All things New: God, the Creator

 

         "Whatever happened, whatever it cost Him, He would always love them." (JSB 27)

Ornament: Earth

Scripture Readings:

Gen 1

John 1:1-14

Col 1:15-20

Verse: Genesis 1:1; John 1:1

Christmas Song: Joy Has Dawned

Hymn: All Creatures of Our God and King

Story: Creation (some suggestions below from some good resources)

Jesus Storybook Bible: The Beginning (18-27)

Big Picture Story Bible: The Very Good Beginning (15-35)

The Ology: God Created Everything out of Nothing at All (18-21)

The Gospel Story Bible (first story)

The Beginners' Gospel Story Bible (first story)

   We come to another season of purposeful remembering of what God has done and eagerly awaiting what we know God will do. Yet, here we are, caught in this "in between" time called the present. This past year may have been much the same for your family as it was for mine,  mixed with joy and grief over lost life, health, finances, trips, plans, school, social life, work, church, political instability, weariness from child rearing... all the things. For my family, we have had a lot of "new" -  New job, new home, new places, new animals (yikes!)...new challenges.  The mundane of making new friends, watching your children struggle with homesickness, finding new doctors, new places to play and shop can be overwhelming. I have needed God's new morning mercies to wash over my soul more than ever before as I have found myself on my knees often and weary of how hard "new" has been for me and my family. 

As I stumble throughout each day tackling every new thing (and some old things), it is NOT beautiful. It is labored, and most often does not seem very good. It is not so with God. He is an expert at "new." Everything He does is with purpose and is altogether lovely, for that is who He is. Every thing He does is very good. In all our loss and disappointment, fear and grief, joy and happiness, our comings and our goings: we find our hope, strength, and stability in Who God is. He is the One who has made me new and who promises to make all things new. 

As my children open up our Advent book and pull out our ornament today, we remember together that God made all things new by His powerful and perfect Word. He is beautiful and creative, splendid and strong, right and true. From the beginning, He shows us how very good His Word and work is - making all things new, forever and always.