For the past few years my wife Sue and I have been watching friends, who live nearby, remodel their 1930’s home.  We’ve watched with absolutely no envy.  None at all.  Two years and counting.  No, now three years… still not done.  Multiple years with stuff still all over the place.  Years and years… and a lot poorer.  Will it be worth it for them?   We certainly hope so for their sake, and also for all that the neighbors have put up with!  As we know, any major  (and sometimes minor) house project takes a lot longer and costs much more than ever thought of or budgeted for.  I was reading this brief portion from Matthew 19  and was grabbed by what Jesus said in verse 28.   ‘…at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man…’  Read those 11 words again.  I don’t know about you, but to me the world seems like an old house, falling apart, messing up the neighborhood, in need of major overhaul and remodeling.  That phrase of Jesus?  It’s powerful and should leave us with a feeling of anticipation and trust for the Lord’s timing.  ‘At the renewal…’ it’s coming, the newness is coming, the New Jerusalem, the new heavens and earth, new wineskins.  Not ‘if’ it comes.  There’s surety in His Words.   Conditions will be improving.  The cold, snowy, rainy winter will lift!  The drought will be forgotten as the rains come.  Bad times don’t last forever.  I’ve been in situations in my life that seemed to spell the end of everything good for me.  Like anxiety would be a permanent pain in my gut and I would forget forever what laughing was all about and what beauty life could hold out for me.  “At the renewal…’.  Bad weather finally lifted and none to soon for me!  Always with Jesus–the best is yet to come.  ‘At the renewal…’  He promises that the downward spiral will be turned to an upward fix.   ‘At the renewal…’  Not just a few things like getting the living room straightened up for company–but by all means don’t look behind the sofa!  Not just surfacey-stuff.  Jesus says ‘…at the renewal of all things…’  ALL things…my wife said,  ‘that will be nice’.  Yes, sure will!  Everything renewed.  Nothing left out, forgotten or rotten.  Decay will decompose!  Rubbish will vanish.  May I ask you a personal question?  I will anyway!  What needs renewal in your life ?  Some things that have been left to gather way too much dust?  I have a feeling that at the final judgement of believers, what we refused to take care of in this life, God will deal with in His own way.  Maybe we ought to deal with those sinful things now, rather that wait?  Think so?  May take extra time and cost lots more that we think.  So be it.   ‘ It Will Be Worth It All.’  That’s a great hymn to sing.  The renewal of ALL things in your life and in my life. Can you imagine?  Whatever the price.  However long it takes.   ‘It Will Be Worth It All’.  Look up to Jesus. Keep looking up to Him!  He’s worth it all!

Prayer:  Lord, how we need change in our lives.  To move away from any sins that drag us down and bring grief to others, especially those we love.  Please help us.  In Jesus’ name and for His sake.  Amen.