“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.”
“See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:19). This was the message from the Lord to the Babylonian Exiles. The theme of Isaiah 43 reflects God closing former things and paving the way for something new (1). In the book of Exodus, God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to pass. Yet, in this instance, God is going to provide by bringing water to dry land (2).
God is doing a new thing. I am both challenged and encouraged by this statement because I am a creature of habit. In the times when I ask the Lord for something or ask Him to change a situation, I find that when that change comes, I still grieve the loss of the former things. It’s interesting to me because although it is what I asked for, I still mourn the loss of what was.
I find this thought process interesting because the Lord is so clearly providing something new, yet I still approach it with hesitation and doubt. This past season I’ve been learning a lot about surrender that leads to loving God. I’ve seen the ways that He has provided for me and has opened new doors, but each time I still struggle to take those steps.
Yet, it is evident that the Lord knows exactly what we need at exactly the right time. In the moment of Pharaoh and the Israelites, God made a way by clearing a path through the Red Sea, yet, in Isaiah 43, He provides water for the Israelites. These two instances are explicit examples of God’s perception of our reality. He provides for His people through the manipulation of the same element based on their circumstances.
However, in His provision, taking the next step can still be scary. As the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, they could have feared the water closing in, or when God provided them with water, they could have feared that it was contaminated. Sometimes, when the Lord provides for us, taking that step can be challenging. It might even feel weird because God is so evidently providing a way- yet, we are scared to take the first step toward it.
But we remember that it is in His nature to do new things. Therefore, if He calls us to a new job, a new school direction, or to move homes, we can trust that this new thing He is doing is good.
As the Summer approaches, some of us may be preparing for a new job, internship, or an upcoming school year. In these new seasons, we may see God’s clear direction but still walk towards it with hesitation and caution because we love or are comfortable in the season we are in. Yet, God says, “Forget the former things”. Don’t be so caught up in the things God has done for you that you forget that there is more. We may grieve the past because we have seen how God carefully crafted those experiences or opportunities- but the beauty of our Father is that He is always calling us to more.
I write to you to remind you that God is big enough to hold your fears, doubts, and questions; yet, He loves you enough to not keep you where you won’t grow. Doing the new thing God has for us can be overwhelming because we rarely know what that entails. But it is in those spaces where God sees the full picture and you just have to trust Him with this, “yes”.
And, “...forget the former things” don’t compare this situation to the past. Don’t compare the people you meet with the people you’ve met in the past. Don’t compare the situations you have had with the ones that are coming. Embrace the “new things” that God has and learn to fully trust Him in His plans.
(1) Tackmier, B. (2019). STREAMS IN THE DESERT: Isa 43:16-21. Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, 116(2), 93–105. P. 95
(2) Tackmier, B. (2019). STREAMS IN THE DESERT: Isa 43:16-21. Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, 116(2), 93–105. P. 95
References
Tackmier, B. (2019). STREAMS IN THE DESERT: Isa 43:16-21. Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, 116(2), 93–105.