January 28: Behold, I Am Making All Things New
Revelation 21:5 (ESV)
“And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’”
Read The Full Devotional Below.
Close your eyes for a moment and picture a workshop. It smells faintly of oil and sawdust, and the faint light of a late afternoon spills over the tools scattered on the bench. On the wall hangs a clock—silent, unmoving, its hands frozen in time. That clock belonged to Elias, a master watchmaker, and its broken state mirrored the unspoken ache in his heart. Have you ever felt like that clock? Stuck. Fractured. Wondering if the parts of your life could ever move again.
Today’s verse from Revelation 21:5 is a promise that strikes at the very heart of such moments. It declares God’s unwavering commitment to renewal: “Behold, I am making all things new.” Not some things. Not just the easy or convenient things. All things. As we step into this story and this truth, let’s invite God to speak into the places we’ve long believed were beyond repair.
The God Who Makes All Things New
The words of Revelation 21:5 are spoken by the One seated on the throne—the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. In this passage, John sees a breathtaking vision of a new heaven and a new earth, where pain, tears, and death are no more. God Himself dwells with His people, wiping away every tear (Revelation 21:3-4).
The Greek word for “new” here, “kainos,” doesn’t just mean fresh or brand-new in time. It means a renewal in quality, a transformation into something better than it was before. This isn’t about erasing the past or starting over from scratch. It’s about redeeming what’s broken, reworking it into something gloriously whole.
But here’s the thing: renewal can be uncomfortable. Sometimes, we cling to what’s broken because we’re afraid of what change might require of us. We’re like Elias, the watchmaker in today’s story, staring at the unmoving clock on the wall, unable to believe anything could ever tick again.
The Story of Elias, the Watchmaker
Elias was no ordinary craftsman. His hands had brought life to countless timepieces, each one a work of art. Yet for years, the clock in his own workshop stood silent, frozen at the hour of his greatest failure. He had poured himself into creating the perfect watch, only to realize it was flawed beyond repair. Unable to face the pain of trying again, Elias left the clock untouched, a reminder of what he thought he’d never overcome.
One day, a young woman stepped into his shop with an antique pocket watch, its gears rusted and its face cracked. “Can you fix it?” she asked. Elias hesitated. The damage was severe—likely beyond repair. But the woman smiled and said, “I believe you can. Maybe fixing this watch will help you fix something inside yourself, too.”
Her words stirred something Elias had long buried. With trembling hands, he agreed to try. As he worked, he rediscovered skills he thought he’d lost. The gears clicked into place, the hands aligned, and when he wound the watch, it began to tick—a sound so pure it brought tears to his eyes.
That moment didn’t just restore the pocket watch. It restored Elias. He turned to the clock on his wall, dusted it off, and began to repair it. Piece by piece, he brought it back to life, its steady ticking a testament to the truth that broken things can be made new.
What About Your Life?
Elias’s story isn’t just about a watch; it’s about us. How often do we let our failures define us, like unmoving clocks on the walls of our hearts? How often do we tell ourselves, “It’s too late for me,” or, “This part of my life can never be repaired”? But Revelation 21:5 shatters those lies with the assurance of a God who specializes in restoration.
Here are three steps to allow God’s renewal into your life:
A. Acknowledge the Brokenness Admit where you feel stuck, where your clock has stopped ticking. Psalm 34:18 tells us, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” It’s okay to name your pain because God’s work begins when we bring Him the pieces.
B. Surrender the Pieces to Him Like the young woman trusted Elias with her broken watch, we must entrust God with our broken lives. Isaiah 64:8 says, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” He knows how to restore what we can’t fix ourselves.
C. Embrace the Process Renewal doesn’t happen overnight. It requires patience, perseverance, and trust in God’s timing. Philippians 1:6 reminds us, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Trust that He is working, even when you can’t see it yet.
Hear the Whisper
Can you picture it? That clock in Elias’s workshop, ticking once again. The sound of life returning to something once thought irreparable. Now imagine the same happening in your life. The places where you’ve felt broken, stagnant, or hopeless begin to move with new purpose. Listen closely, and you might hear God whispering to you right now: “Behold, I am making all things new.”
This isn’t just a future promise for the new heavens and new earth. It’s a promise for today. God’s kingdom is already at work, renewing your heart, your relationships, your purpose. Will you let Him in?
Revelation 21:5 says it plainly: “Behold, I am making all things new.” These words are faithful and true, written so that we might cling to them in our darkest hours. They remind us that our stories—even the broken ones—are not over. God is still writing.
So take heart. The broken pieces of your life are not beyond His reach. Just as Elias repaired the watch and his own heart in the process, God is ready to bring renewal to the places you thought were beyond hope.
Let’s Close in a Prayer…
Father, thank You for Your promise to make all things new. We bring You the broken places in our lives—the areas where we’ve given up hope. Teach us to trust You with the pieces and to embrace the process of renewal. Restore our hearts, our relationships, and our purpose, that we may reflect Your glory. Thank You for being a God who redeems and restores. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
An Invitation to go Deeper….
Are you ready to experience the renewal God has for you? Join the FaithLabz 30-Day Prayer Challenge and discover practical steps to embrace His transformative power. Let today be the day you begin to see the broken pieces of your life made new.
