I decided to start the new year and new decade with a SOAP note Bible journal entry!
Scripture
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” - Revelation 21:1-5 (NLT)
“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind." - Isaiah 65:17
Observation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Application
Interestingly, the Scripture in question was taken from the passages quoted above. It was misappropriated in a book by Eckhart Tolle called "A New Earth" to which I believed I had been led. That day I began my old metaphysical blog, The Mystic Review, stepped off the spiritual ledge I'd been clinging to and plunged headfirst into the dark.
I could have called it differently. I could have looked up the passage in the Bible instead of buying Tolle's book. But if I had done that, for better or for worse, I might not be here in this place, saved by grace.
To me, the instruction given to John to write down the true and trustworthy word of God applies, not just to Revelation, but to the entire Bible. It helps me to understand why recommitting to Bible journaling and focusing on Scripture is something I'm called to do.
Revelation 21 is an end time prophecy but it speaks to me today because it reminds me that it is the nature of God to make all things new. Every new day and new week and new year and new decade is His gift.
I hope everyone who reads this post will take a few minutes to talk to God about the gift of a brand new start and how to best make use of it. We are all in different places, with different challenges and different problems to overcome. But I believe that He moves in every life and that renewal is available for us all.
Prayer
The Shehechiyanu
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has kept us alive and sustained us and brought us to this season.
(Barukh ata adonai elohenu melekh ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu, v’higiyanu la’z’man ha’zeh)
Blessed are You, Lord
Barukh ata adonai
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה
our God, King of the Universe,
elohenu melekh ha’olam
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
Who has kept us alive and sustained us
shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu,
שֶׁהֶחֱיָֽנוּ וְקִיְּמָֽנוּ
and brought us to this season.
v’higiyanu la’z’man ha’zeh
וְהִגִּיעָֽנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶּה:
Wishing you and yours all the blessings of the coming year <3
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