He Makes All Things New

God has a way of speaking to me through music. (Which is kind of ironic, because I am not musically talented in the least!) One of my favorite artists is Andrew Peterson. His music is so deep, so profound. As the New Year is starting, I've been thinking about his song called, "All Things New." The chorus goes like this:

Rise up O you sleeper, awake!
The light of the dawn is upon you
Rise up of you sleeper, awake!
He makes all things new.

Ever since I was a toddler, I didn't like to try anything until I felt I could do it, and do it well. I didn't start talking until I was three years old--but when I did start I was speaking in full sentences. My personality in that respect could be labeled as being a perfectionist, but I think there's something else there, too. I have a tendency to want to stay inside what is safe and familiar. Venturing out into the unknown, the untested, is a scary thought to me, and probably to some of you too.  The future is unpredictable, and giving over our will for our future to God can be a very arduous process for anyone like me. When we give over everything to God, we let go of the wheel.  It takes total trust and faith to "let go and let God," because when we do, we relinquish all of our control to a God who is not held back by anything. I cannot predict God. I am finite, He is infinite. I am limited in my sight, He is unlimited. What uncharted waters might He bring me through? Sometimes, we can go so far as to put God in a box--shut Him into a small place in the back of our minds--so that we (think) we have more control over our destiny. We all know that God wants us to surrender our lives to Him, but it is so hard!

God isn't out to make our lives miserable, but His purpose is to give us a life of fulfillment in His purposes. He promises that our life will be hard and that we will face trials, but His dreams for us are so much better than our own dreams! "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts from your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:9) A favorite song in our house recently has been "Dream For You," by Casting Crowns. They describe it so well!

I am blind, and He is leading me. Walking by faith means letting Him take your hand and guide you, even though you can't see where He is taking you.

God's call to us is to wake up, and realize the great future He has planned for us! He is making us into new creatures, mirroring Christ's righteousness, and He wants us to wake up and see the light at the end of a long tunnel called "surrender."

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" ~Jeremiah 29:11