“And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:5, NASB)
Recently, I had two moments in the same day that drew my thoughts to this promise. The first was not surprising. I attended a funeral in the morning. As the picture collage rolled across the screen I found myself thinking of the day when there will be no more death.
The second moment was a change in perspective.
I was experiencing some physical pain. It was nothing serious, but certainly unpleasant. My typical pattern would have been to pray for the Lord to relieve the pain. Instead, I began praising God for His promise to reverse the curse and restore all things.
It was different this time. I wasn’t focusing on the pain. I was allowing the pain to point my thoughts to heaven. “Lord Jesus, I know this pain is a product of the curse. There is decay and corruption because of sin. But you are making all things new. In heaven there will be no pain or sorrow. Thank you for this reminder to look there for my joy instead of here in the fallen world.”
The evidence of the fall of man is all around us. We see it everywhere. We feel it in our sorrows. We sense it in our pain. “I am making all things new.” These words can serve as a compass and guide for our prayers.
Try this next time you encounter a pain or a sorrow. Instead of immediately calling out for relief, let your reflex be to praise God that this experience is among those that will be removed when Christ restores all things.