Look, Jane. Look, look.

Behold, I make all things new.

— Jesus, Revelation 21:5

“Look, Jane.  Look, look.”

Maybe you recognize that.  It’s from the first book many of us ever read, Fun with Dick and Jane. 

Mrs. Smith was my first grade teacher.  I still don’t understand how she taught us about words and numbers, but she did.  She somehow made them exciting and interesting, especially the number 8.  We listened to Mrs. Smith.

For this third day of our new calendar year, let’s listen to Jesus.  Behold, I make all things new is one of his best lines. It’s packed with promise.  But I usually miss much of it by rushing to the last word, new.  A lot precedes it.

Behold is both an invitation and a command.

It’s also accurately translated See.

Today, join me in making an effort to pay attention.  Let’s notice what all Christ is making new.  And who.  And how.

“Look, Joe.  Look, look.”