God’s Renovation… Hello to my Hump Day readers. I was on a podcast a few days ago with several wonderful bible teachers, some were my favorites—Pastor Max Lucado, John Piper, Christine Caine and Louie Giglio, etc. Actually, the whole group was great and there were a few I didn’t know so that made it even more wonderful to get to know them in this podcast.

The cornerstone of the podcast was from Revelation 21:5 from The Passion Translation. “Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write—because these words are faithful and true.”

[Some scholars think TPT isn’t the best translation, yet they also say that its simplicity and lively wording are good for those who don’t dive into the Scriptures very often. Since one person wrote the TPT it’s more about ‘talking heads’ in who knows the best about Scripture. That idea is what I call overreach and pompous!]

What does it mean for you with those words, “I am making everything new?” Honestly, the first thing I think of is several TV shows that do renovations. Many of these folks who renovate homes have deep connections with God and they are not afraid to share it. When I see a home that is about to fall into itself, these highly skilled people can come in and make what was a wreck into something beautiful!

Al and I love to see the before and after pictures. It kind of reminds us of “When something looks hopeless, hang-on because it can, in the hands of master-workmanship, become a gorgeous home again.” But there is that caveat for these talented folks, they can only work with what they have. For instance, some stains are just stains that you have to paint over because you can’t erase it. In year 2025, there has been a lot of renovation for folks in the Midwest due to devastating tornadoes. Sometimes you can cover up the damage, but most of the time it’s a “take-it-down-and-do-it-from-scratch.”

So what does God think about all our “renovation?” No doubt he knows what it needs and knowing how God who loves his kids, he will cheer them on. I like that idea, don’t you? My dad was a carpenter, as was his dad, and I loved to be with them when they were working. It’s hard work but when you see the outcome, you just have to shout WOW, that’s cool!

God’s renovation gets a WOW as well—but, it is completely different! God doesn’t just renovate; he makes all things New. Not just improved. Not just fixed. Not just restored. It is Brand New! And when God says that he is making everything new, you can be assured he means it. No touch-up on the old, it’s his incredible creation of something entirely New!

No doubt many of us have lots of broken things to repair, but often we forget the brokenness we have in our own lives. We don’t like it–but what do we do with it? We call “God’s HGTV perfect renovation!” God doesn’t just want to improve us or fix us or restore us—he wants to make us New. He wants to give us new hearts, new minds, new purposes, new destinies and so much more. What a gift, right?!

Think about these words from Christine Caine from the podcast: “What seems broken beyond repair to us is raw material for God’s creative power. What seems hopeless to us is an opportunity for God to show His glory.”

In closing, remember that God is making all things new. So stop for a moment and think of what area of your life feels beyond repair. Don’t settle for “oh well” instead, reach out to the God who loves you. You can trust God to make something new from what seems broken and your “renovation” will be spectacularly New! AMEN? – indeed AMEN!