As I was out this morning picking blackberries, everything was an abnormal stillness as smoke hung heavy in the air and the light of the sun was an abnormal orange-y-yellowish (due to all the wildfire smoke from eastern WA).
The Cascade Mountains were completely obscured by the smoke, and the nearby foothills were barely visible through the smoky haze.
Picking blackberries in the smoke left my throat itchy and scratchy and my nose running.
The wildfire smoke has had me thinking a lot about Jesus coming back again to judge the earth. This current earth will be burned up in judgment … and God is going to bring a new heaven and a new earth.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” – Revelation 21:1
Jesus speaking: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” – Matthew 24:35
“The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up.
“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. … Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” – 2 Peter 3:10-18
God is going to renew the earth – by bringing a brand-new earth.
But for now … huge portions of my state burn out of control. For now … we breathe wildfire smoke … and wait for the coming of rain to clean the air and hopefully bring an end to the wildfires.
For now, we live in a world with thorns. As I’m picking blackberries the sharp thorns grab at my clothes, they poke painfully as I move through the bushes, and leave painful red scratches on my hands. I made sure to cover up good before going out to pick blackberries: I wore my grubby garden jeans, and long sleeves all the way down to my wrists. But my hands still wound up getting scratched in the process.
The fascinating thing is that my body renews itself day-by-day. The painful red blackberry scratches will heal up in a couple of days. Our skin renews itself day-by-day.
Our hair renews itself day-by-day. Even though we have strands of hair falling out here and there, our hair keeps renewing itself. Day-by-day.
The cells in our body are constantly and continually renewing. Check out these interesting facts from AI:
Intestinal lining – replaces itself every 3-5 days.
Red blood cells – circulate for about 120 days before being replaced by new blood cells.
Skin cells – renew approximately every 2-4 weeks.
Liver cells – regenerate more slowly, taking months or even years, but can rapidly proliferate after injury.
Also from AI: “Overall, about 1 percent of the body’s nearly 30 trillion cells are replaced daily.”
Our God is all about renewal!
One day, God is going to renew this earth and give us a brand-new earth!
One day, God is going to renew our bodies and give us brand new glorified bodies which will live forever!
But in the meantime … we live in the here and now. Our earth here and now renews itself day-by-day with rains coming (hopefully sometime soon) to put an end to fire; and with air currents to (hopefully) clear the air, etc. …
Our earth here and now renews itself year-by-year with seasonal growth and change.
Similarly, our bodies renew themselves day-by-day.
And likewise, God wants us to renew our minds in the same way!
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12:2
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; and to be made new in the attitude of your minds.” – Ephesians 4:23
Renewed … day-by-day.
Just like every cell in our body.
Just like blackberry scratches healing as the skin renews day-by-day.
For now, we live in a world of thorns … both literally and metaphorically. For now, we live in a world that’s burning out of control … both literally and metaphorically. For now, we live in a world where wickedness and evil are rampant and pervasive.
It’s vital that we renew our minds!
Renewed … day-by-day.
Renewing our minds with God’s Word heals our souls from the “thorn scratches” just like our skin renews itself.
Renewing our minds with God’s Word brings “rains” to refresh our parched and weary souls. Renewing our minds with God’s Word brings fresh “air currents” from the Holy Spirit to clear out the “smoke” hanging heavy over our souls. Renewing our minds with God’s Word heals our souls from the “burn damage” just like the earth renewing itself after wildfires.
Renewing our minds with God’s Word protects us from the wickedness and evil which are rampant all around us.
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this [the future new heaven and new earth], make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. … Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” – 2 Peter 3:14, 18
Renewed … day-by-day.
