Allen W. Tate
“And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old’” Matthew 13:52 ESV.
“Ring out the old, ring in the new!” It’s the time of the year when we hear this phrase. We grab our bells, wait for the clock to strike 12, then ring away, celebrating the coming of the new year!
But the phrase also says, “Ring out the old.” Sometimes we ring out the old with the thought, “Whew, I’m glad this year is done!” While other years, we can look back and ring out the old with remembrances of what we’ve accomplished, people we’ve met, and good times we’ve had.
Thus, as we ring out the old and ring in the new, we are aware that life is a process—we’ve achieved some of what God has for us (treasures old), yet there is more to come (treasures new).
As we look forward, what treasures are we seeking?
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” Matthew 6:20–21.
How do we lay up treasure? On earth, we find that a good way to lay up treasure is to make regular, scheduled deposits into our savings. Likewise, laying up treasure in Heaven is done by establishing a continuing, daily pattern of following Christ.
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” Luke 9:23.
As the new year begins, let us draw ever closer to Christ, putting on the new self created in God’s likeness and revealed in the true life that is upright and holy (Ephesians 4:24 GNB), living daily to God’s glory, shining as His light in our world.