Old & New

I recently watched a short documentary about the interior design of the Covent Garden Hotel in London.

“Charming” is the word I’d use to describe it.

To step into its lobby is to step into another world—one where the gravitas of history is balanced by the wit of modern times.

Take the drawing room, for example. The room has been snugly fitted with maple wall panels from the now defunct League of Nations building. But instead of pairing that with an antique chaise of equal dignity, they’ve chosen a cheery modern couch that would delight even the sternest minimalist.

There is beauty in the blending of old and new.

It reminds me of Matthew 13:52, where Jesus said: “…‘Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.’” (NIV)

In Jesus’ time, the teachers of the law would have only been familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures—the Old Covenant. But Jesus says that if someone so well-versed in the Old Covenant were to enter into the New Covenant, by becoming His disciple, he would be rich with treasures both old and new.

Now, you and I are not teachers of Jewish law, but there’s still a takeaway for us today:

We cannot neglect any part of our Bibles. We need the Old Testament and New Testament alike.

You see, if we just read the Old Testament, we might think that God is only holy and just.

And if we just read the New Testament, we might think that God is only loving and gracious.

But God is both. He is equally holy and loving, both merciful and just.

And we need to view Him as He really is.

What I’m trying to say is this: If we neglect part of our Bibles, we won’t view God rightly and we will be unbalanced believers.

So we need to open the Old Testament and the New Testament. And search for truths about God’s character like an interior decorator prowling a flea market for treasures.

And when we find one, we should snatch it up and take it home, so that the rooms of our hearts will be furnished with treasures both old and new.

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