". . . Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?"
So I've been thinking about the word ‘new.’ It's a really simple word, one that we use all
the time. And of course, seven days ago, we celebrated a new year so we've been
hearing that word even more lately.
In one sense, it's a really basic word. We use it all the time. But in another sense, I'm realizing that the word itself can be hard to describe. When something is new, and we want to describe it in that way, there aren't a lot of alternative adjectives that we use.
There are a lot of alternative ways to describe 'happy' or 'sad' or 'hot' or 'cold' - other basic experiences that we have. But there aren't a lot of alternative ways to describe something as ‘new.' We just say it’s new. I know this, because I went to a thesaurus, and virtually all of the synonyms for ‘new’ tend to be bigger words that only capture one aspect of what 'new' means - words like ‘inexperienced,’ ‘uncontaminated,’ or ‘modernistic.’ Those are words we understand, but they're not good, catch-all,stand-ins for the word ‘new’ and what it means to us.
Even the dictionary gives awkward sounding definitions of the word! Here are some examples from dictionary.com. They were awkward enough to make me laugh a little:
In one sense, it's a really basic word. We use it all the time. But in another sense, I'm realizing that the word itself can be hard to describe. When something is new, and we want to describe it in that way, there aren't a lot of alternative adjectives that we use.
There are a lot of alternative ways to describe 'happy' or 'sad' or 'hot' or 'cold' - other basic experiences that we have. But there aren't a lot of alternative ways to describe something as ‘new.' We just say it’s new. I know this, because I went to a thesaurus, and virtually all of the synonyms for ‘new’ tend to be bigger words that only capture one aspect of what 'new' means - words like ‘inexperienced,’ ‘uncontaminated,’ or ‘modernistic.’ Those are words we understand, but they're not good, catch-all,stand-ins for the word ‘new’ and what it means to us.
Even the dictionary gives awkward sounding definitions of the word! Here are some examples from dictionary.com. They were awkward enough to make me laugh a little:
1. of recent origin, production, purchase, etc.; having but lately come or been
brought into being
Awkward sounding!
2. of a kind now existing or appearing for the first time; novel
Also awkward!
3. having but lately or but now come into knowledge
The most awkward sounding!
How is it that we use the word ‘new’ so often because it's so basic to us, and yet, it's so hard to describe when we need to define it precisely?
Well, so far we're just talking about a word – a simple adjective. So what happens when we start to talk about something more complex and vibrant and hope filled – something like new life?
Well, here’s the interesting thing: It does get more complex. We need more words to do that. But I actually think it actually gets easier. We might not have a wealth of words to use when we describe something as new. But we have experienced it. We have lived it. And we have ways of hoping for it, longing for newness when that experience is hard to find.
We don't define new life as something out of a dictionary. We do it with stories - our stories and the stories of others and the stories of faith communities who existed long before we were born. In this community, we can say that new life is born when God's story (which is so much bigger than us) sweeps us up and really includes us. New life is when God's story enters our story and utterly transforms it so that we become full persons and we all become a full community.
New life can't be captured on a page or in a dictionary's definition. It has flesh and bone and love and service and belonging. New life is something tangible. It involves God in us. It involves God in you. It involves God in this world.
Now of course, the other simple way to define 'new' is to say it’s 'not old.' It stands in contrast to something that preceded it.
In the Scripture story at the top of this post, a prophet is speaking new and powerful words to a community that needs a different reality. The Kingdom of Judah was the southern portion of the land Israel, and in 586 BC the world was turned upside down for the people who were living there. Babylon was the ruling power of the day, and the Babylonians invaded Judah and Jerusalem and took the people captive. The people were forced out of their land and became exiles in the land of Babylon, living in a new land away from everything they had known and loved. But God had not forgotten them. In this passage, we hear that God is going to make all things new and bring them back home into a better reality.
Also awkward!
3. having but lately or but now come into knowledge
The most awkward sounding!
How is it that we use the word ‘new’ so often because it's so basic to us, and yet, it's so hard to describe when we need to define it precisely?
Well, so far we're just talking about a word – a simple adjective. So what happens when we start to talk about something more complex and vibrant and hope filled – something like new life?
Well, here’s the interesting thing: It does get more complex. We need more words to do that. But I actually think it actually gets easier. We might not have a wealth of words to use when we describe something as new. But we have experienced it. We have lived it. And we have ways of hoping for it, longing for newness when that experience is hard to find.
We don't define new life as something out of a dictionary. We do it with stories - our stories and the stories of others and the stories of faith communities who existed long before we were born. In this community, we can say that new life is born when God's story (which is so much bigger than us) sweeps us up and really includes us. New life is when God's story enters our story and utterly transforms it so that we become full persons and we all become a full community.
New life can't be captured on a page or in a dictionary's definition. It has flesh and bone and love and service and belonging. New life is something tangible. It involves God in us. It involves God in you. It involves God in this world.
Now of course, the other simple way to define 'new' is to say it’s 'not old.' It stands in contrast to something that preceded it.
In the Scripture story at the top of this post, a prophet is speaking new and powerful words to a community that needs a different reality. The Kingdom of Judah was the southern portion of the land Israel, and in 586 BC the world was turned upside down for the people who were living there. Babylon was the ruling power of the day, and the Babylonians invaded Judah and Jerusalem and took the people captive. The people were forced out of their land and became exiles in the land of Babylon, living in a new land away from everything they had known and loved. But God had not forgotten them. In this passage, we hear that God is going to make all things new and bring them back home into a better reality.
God was making something new out of
something old – a 70 year period of exile.
So as this new year begins, our hope and
prayer for our community and for all people is that God will make something new
out of the old, that God’s story will enter our story, and that we will begin
to define ‘new’-ness, not from a Dictionary, but from how we live our lives. We are part of that definition! We get to embody newness!
May it be. Welcome, 2013.
--Pastor Renee Roederer and the Evening Worship Community at Pasadena Presbyterian Church
--Pastor Renee Roederer and the Evening Worship Community at Pasadena Presbyterian Church
