New Beginnings and New Creation

The calendar turns to September; Fall approaches; many schools kick-off a new year…

These things remind me of new beginnings.

These phrases come to mind: “clean slate” and “fresh start”

As do these images:

pencils sharpened for the first time with clean pink erasers; shoes without scuff marks; notebook pages without writing and covers without bends or creases…

I also think of how these ‘new’ things don’t last. Erases get worn down, shoes get scuffed, notebooks get scribbled in and on, and pages get torn out.

Psalm 1 also reminds me new beginnings as it paints a picture of a grounded approach to life. The Psalms hold prayer and poetry encompassing all of life’s circumstances and emotions, and they begin with an image of a tree planted by the water. An interpretation of this is: No matter what happens in life, we can endure – we can make it through – when we are rooted in the truth of God’s unfailing love and ever-faithful promise to redeem all things. The Psalms, like life, get dark and doubtful at times and joyously exuberant at others. Even so, they remind us that there will always be a new beginning of God’s redemptive work on the other side of the tumult.

Do you feel worn down or scuffed up or scribbled on or as if something is torn out? I wonder if you feel ungrounded or unmoored or caught up in a tumult.

Christians have many portions of scripture that remind us of new beginning. One of them is in Paul’s second letter to the Christians in Corinth, and he tells them “if any person is in Christ, then there is New Creation!” Rather than get bogged down in the mire of doubt, despair, disappointment, and failures of the past (ours and others towards us), we can start each day anew with this hope – Christ has come to give life and light to the world; to redeem and to restore broken and bent circumstances; to give us fresh starts.

We have a painting of a tree in our room that reminds us of new beginnings. I wonder what reminds you of new beginnings that you can put up around you in a place you can see every day.

I pray you can find hope in the truth that you are loved, and because of God’s great love, you can have a fresh start today.

God of the first beginning and all new beginnings, help us to find a rootedness in love – to know that we are beloved. May this love drive out all fear and despair that scuffs up our lives and prevents us from loving others. Shine the light of your promise of new beginnings into our hearts, that our lives might shine your light, illuminating new paths and new beginnings for others. Thank you. May this be so.