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By Keith Leach
Guest Columnist

For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. — NRS Isaiah 65:17

It seems to me that God loves to do “new things”.  Perhaps, I should say that God is always making new things!  For as much as we cling to the current, or long for the past, God is constantly creating and making all things new.  Then why is God telling his prophet to tell everyone that God is “about to create new heavens and a new Earth”? Is it because we often end up working against God’s “new creation” as we cling to the past?  On the other hand, maybe, God is getting ready to do something that God’s children need to be looking for.

The quote from Isaiah is not a revelation of something new, rather a warning that something new is coming.  God is urging the people then and us now, to see what is coming next.  God is letting us be a part of God’s plan.  How? By seeing the new and then singing our praises and joys at God’s continuing creation.  “What continuing creation?” you might ask.

The fact is, as best I can tell, God loves to create.  We know that our universe is annually expanding at a rate of about 375,000 light years.  Just trying to imagine that makes my head hurt!  It would seem to follow that God is making new things in our universe and perhaps in many others.

This quote from Isaiah was probably written around 500. B.C.  Thus, that would mean that since this was written, our Universe has expanded 93,750,000 Light Years.  I wonder which new things God wanted to be sure we did not miss.  Perhaps God intended us to be looking always for the new things.  Perhaps we are to look continually for the path God is making, and readily follow it.

In this season of Advent, we celebrate and ponder how God changed everything just over 2000 years ago.  How God changed the path of humanity in one starry night by bringing God’s self to Earth.  God came to dwell among us so that we might trust in this always rapidly changing creation and to show us how much God can love God’s own creation. Let us joyously gaze upon God’s new things and marvel!

KEITH LEACH is Pastor of College Church and College Chaplain at Hampden-Sydney College. He can be reached at kleach@hsc.edu.