See, I am Doing a New Thing
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. Isaiah 43:18 (NIV)
This beautiful universe is held together by our all-powerful, Creator God, the maker of heaven and earth. This intricate universe would not exist if the laws of nature – gravity, thermodynamics, chemistry, etc.- were not in place to bring order to the universe. We often take them for granted because they are so predictable. We take it for granted that the sun will rise and set. We take it for granted that we will walk firmly on terra firma and not float into space. We expect everything governed by laws of nature to work as it should. We don’t expect any surprises. However, God, who created the laws of nature, is also a God whose miracle-working power is never predictable. If God has worked in a certain way in your life in the past, chances are that He will work differently the next time. He will do something new. This is what the prophet Isaiah is telling the Jewish exiles in Isaiah 43.
“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.” Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
In the previous verses, God reminds them of how He rescued them in the past. In verse 18, He tells them to forget the manner in which He delivered them in the past. God is telling them not to expect Him to perform the same miracles. He is going to do something new, and He wants them to watch for it. He is going to do the impossible - make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. He is going to rescue them in a way they never thought possible.
The Ultimate Rescue
God is in the rescuing business. His ultimate rescue came not only for the Jewish people, but for all mankind when God sent His only Son to earth. God sent Him into our dark world to rescue us from everything that held us in bondage. He came to rescue us in a new way, an impossible way, an unexpected way: through His death on the cross of Calvary and His miraculous resurrection from the dead. This new way brought forgiveness for our sins, guilt and shame.
This new way leads us to a new life in Christ Jesus. We become a new person. We forget the past. We look to Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit so we can experience the new, abundant life He has for us. We look to Him for the new things, the new ways in which He will intervene in our hardships and struggles.
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Reflection:
Will you allow God to work in new and wonderful ways in your life?
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, that You make all things new. Thank You for the new life, abundant life You have given me. Thank You for the new miracles You will perform in my life as You intervene in my situation in Your special way. Help me to trust You to do it in Your way and in Your time. In Jesus’ name, amen.
