What's New (Year)

“What’s new?”  -  “Nothing” you say. 

“What do ya know?”  -  “Not much.” 

Oh, there’s new clothes, new cars, new toys, new gadgets, 

new techy stuff and all kinds of Christmas gifts 

(that aren’t all that new anymore.)

But when it comes to our lives, and the real substance of things, 

perhaps we shrug and say the writer of Ecclesiastes was right: 

“What has been is what will be, 

  and what has been done 

is what will be done; 

there is nothing new under the sun.”  (1:9)

Yet, somewhere within the winter of our being (soul) something is yearning 

to be born. 

Incarnational mystery, again? 

The heart is afraid, 

the head resists, 

and the will wonders…

should I take a chance? 

Can we only live if we are not afraid to die? 

New, life invariably means change.

But who wants change, really? 

And for what? 

And into what? 

Somewhere in the far reaches of our longing, God whispers, 

“See, I am making all things new.”  (Revelation 21:5)

And we marvel…”Can it be true?”

Each day comes as gift – fresh and new.

There’s a choice to be made, a journey to make.

But, oh well…

2023 will be just like every other year, right…

OR WILL IT?

New Year’s Blessings,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This piece originally appeared in The Wave on January 4, 2023.