“See, I am making all things new.”

And another thing!

And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.” (Revelation 21:5-6)

See, I am making all things new, God says. Not all new things. All things new.

We aren’t a people that are used to repairing, recycling, or repurposing, by and large. We are a people who are used to disposable plates and cups, to fast fashion that wears out in a year or two, to throwing things out and buying new instead of fixing them because the price is almost the same.

The idea that God will make all things new is a strange one, then. Will God be restoring all the cheap coffee pots and antique dressers? I don’t know about that, but I have hope for the worn-out knees and shoulders of God’s people. I have hope for the woodlands and wetlands that have had to make way for commercial farms and highways. I have hope for the relationships between people that have faltered and fallen apart. I have hope for the world.

It is a blessing to think that the tree outside my office window—the one that’s blooming pink right now—will bloom again, by the grace of God, no matter what this year might hold. It’s a gift to know that the memories that have forgotten my favorite stories will be brought back to life, remembering again who they are and the stories of their lives. It’s a joy to know that God sees the inherent worth of every person, no matter what their abilities or challenges.

If God is making all things new, it means that every time we work to patch up, preserve, or plant, we are working alongside the Lord of Life. God’s Gardening Glove Emporium has your size, right next to the wood glue and down the aisle from the needles and thread.

Some days seem like the world is on repeat. The date changes, but the nonsense remains. God tells us that it only seems that way. God is making all things new. Even us. Even now.