Day 19: A New Thing

A New Thing

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19  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 43:18-19)

Sadly, our times with God and life in general can fall into the same old- same old monotony. What If I were to challenge you to put an end to this today? Are you ready for God to do something new in your life, starting now? Are you?

This portion of Isaiah was written for people who were suffering. The people were carried into captivity and lingered there for several decades in Babylon- far away from the familiar. Miles of desert separated them from normalcy. As a result, the people were down, crushed in spirit, and subsequently, their faith was challenged. One psalmist put their condition succinctly when we said, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?”

Be that as it may, the Lord was still desirous for his people and wanted to draw a sharp line between their past and future. In other words, that was then; this is now. I am doing a NEW THING and creating a path through the desert.

In God’s providence- historically, a new thing really did happen. A shift of power and policy gave God’s people a chance to return to Israel. This was an opportunity to set up a new nation on its old territory. Another psalmist describes the reaction, “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy (Psalm 126:2).

Thankfully, God still does new things for His people today. He makes ways through the deserts of our lives. Perhaps you’ve been dwelling on past mistakes. Now God tells you, “Forget about it! Allow me to do something new with you.”

Our prayer target today is NOT to dwell on the past. Past mistakes. Past sin. Past regrets. Remember that “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12). Now, by faith and His grace, ask the Lord to give you the courage to move forward and follow Him into a new adventure.