Imagine if God were a God who, like many of us, threw things away when they were imperfect. Instead, God is a God who restores. We see that in this passage clearly – He does not replace the Heavens and the Earth, but restores them – He makes them new.
We even see this in the story of The Fall – the punishment for disobedience was death, but Good rewrote the narrative to create space for redemption and restoration.
And we are not just passively waiting for this restoration and for these new heavens and new earth. The kingdom of God is like a river, always moving towards the ultimate destination, but in the way the river brings life and restoration to the land it passes through. So hop into a kayak and get out on the river!
When the Holy Spirit moves, restoration happens in unexpected ways. Where are the broken places and relationships in your life that need restoration? Some will be restored along the way, but some will be restored in eternity.
This means – don’t give up. Not on yourself, not on others, not on relationships and especially not on the good you do in the world around us.
— Sermon Notes, Dave Sim, Renew Church, Lynnwood WA, May 7, 2023