Jesus said, "I am making everything new" (Revelation 21:5). It's a wonderful thought, when you look at horrific war zones or natural disasters or famines or injustice. But what about when you look at the best bits of this world - like when we were out walking near Kirby Lonsdale the other day?
And yes, though we've renamed the town 'Kirby Ponsedale' (they can be a little stuck up), and though there's still farm junk and thorns and barbed wire, it is staggeringly beautiful. The British countryside; the crisp frost; great oak trees; friendly cows breathing clouds of huff! (And wow: our kids not being scared of dogs!)
The best bits of this world are evidence of how amazingly God makes things. The fact he holds out to us is a new creation not of dreamy vagueness, or floating clouds. It's a remake of this world in perfection. All that's good about this world, with none of the bad bits to spoil it. The more I think about that, the more I want it. As Mark Ashton said, "We believe for death." That's when we'll see true goodness.
Of course, what will really make it is relationships (especially with Christ), rather than environment. But the point is, don't fix our eyes on environment here. When we see it at its best, say to ourselves, "There's better to come! There's better to come!" And fix our eyes there.
