Thanks to Christmas, we often start the year off with new things; new toys for the kids, new clothes, new household items, and perhaps even new kilos to add as we celebrate over lots of meals and family BBQs. For the New Year today, we may have a new calendar on the wall, a new 2022 diary, and new resolutions for the days ahead. Everybody likes new things, as so does our Heavenly Father. He is called the Ancient of Days, and He says;
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Is. 43:18-19)
The world is cruel when people don’t let us change especially with today’s internet world where things don’t always disappear; cruelty online and unflattering pictures can stay alive for years. When we look up reviews of restaurants, hotels or businesses, there is a disproportionate number of reviewers that have something negative to say. Those who had a positive experience don’t always take time to post, but the ones who are unhappy take the time to “warn” others. If a business owner takes the complaint to heart and makes changes to improve, the review does not change, it stays up and can sit there for years.
“Forget the former things…” God says.. “do not dwell on the past…” Do not live in the past. Maybe it’s the mistakes, the problems, but it could also be a warning not to think the answer is to recapture what was good.
See, I am doing a new thing.” In this scripture our God says, SEE. It’s an invitation from the Lord Himself. The next phrase makes it clear God is already doing something new:
“Now it springs up…” That tells us that not only is our Loving Father doing a new thing in your life, but it is already growing… springing up!
Then God says, “do you not see it?”
God loves doing new things. God does new things and He is making a path for you through the wilderness. He is causing the stream to flow through the dessert.
Draw a line today as we begin a new journey into 2022. Instead of dwelling in the past demanding that God revive the glory days when you were satisfied and happy. Or instead of dwelling in the past at everything that has gone wrong. Instead of demanding of God, when is He going to start tidying up your life and bestow blessings and bring you happiness – change the question you ask of God.
Ask instead for your eyes to be open to what HE IS doing. Just because we cannot see God’s blessings at work does not mean he is not knitting our lives together.
Ask God for clarity, to be able to see, and be able to perceive. God loves doing new things. God loves to restore the wandering soul. God loves to create new ways.
God loves doing new things. “SEE” is an invitation. “Do you not perceive it?” is the question.
A familiar phrase: “In order to go where we’ve never been, we have to do something we’ve never done.” If we want to grow into an ever-increasingly closer walk with Him, we’re going to have to allow God to lead us into places we’ve never been before; God is already at work whether we see it or not.
Accept the invitation to SEE, pray for open eyes, and ask God to reveal His ways and what He is doing.
Yes the world can be cruel and there is a wilderness, but God is building a path. There is a dessert, but a stream is flowing through it.
God loves doing new things. God loves showing us new places. God loves using new methods. God even renews our strength to take up new challenges that draw us closer to Him.
Open our eyes Lord, to what you are already doing among us and in our lives.
Amene.
Adapted from Sumas AC Church, sermon by Pastor Carl Crouse.
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