June 1

No Expiration Date

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”  ––Isaiah 43:19 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  ––2 Corinthians 5:17

There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who respect expiration dates and those who don’t. I mean, if I find a container of cottage cheese in my frig dating back to the Obama Administration, not only do I toss it, I don’t even open it to check out the “mold show.” However, if said cottage cheese expired yesterday, I give it a sniff and then scoop (preferably with mandarin oranges on top).

It’s different for warranties, isn’t it? Why is it that my refrigerator decides to go pear-shaped the day after the warranty expires? Frustrating, right? I mean, it takes vigilance to keep up on expiry dates, warranties, and binging the rest of that show on Netflix before it “goes away.”

The beautiful thing about the Cross, however, is that it has no expiration date. There’s no sweating a deadline or a “null and void” notice. With Christ, you never have to worry about His offer of eternal life expiring. Can you imagine buying a car with a warranty that never expires?

I love what the Father promises in the Book of Revelation:

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.”  ––Revelation 21:5-6

For those in Christ, the old ways of atonement have come to an end. He has replaced the expiration date of our sins with an eternal lifetime warranty.

God is telling John that those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life—you and me and all who follow Him—are forgiven and free, forever. That’s the best definition of “new” I’ve ever heard!

Lord, thank You for making all things new through Your Son. I accept His grace, and ask that You help me share this Great News with others.