“But the LORD says, “Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already — you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there.”
Isaiah 43:18-19 GNBUK
We all like “new”
I am different… I really enjoy vintage!
When my daughter Olivia was younger, I would take her with me to thrift stores and she told me one time “mommy, I like “new.”
Who doesn’t like “new?”
We all long for the day when Jesus will create new heavens and a new earth.
In Isaiah 43:19 the scripture says
“Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.”
Isaiah 43:19 NKJV
I love this verse.
What a comfort that God is going to do something new. When we become born again we are made brand new and are called a new creation.
There is something about Christmas time that makes us nostalgic.
We remember the good ole days and we can get melancholy and down.
We remember our kids when they were younger and the days seemed simple and innocent.
We remember loved ones who are gone and we miss the days when we could hug them.
We think of family members who are estranged, or they are in jail or live in bondage to drugs and alcohol or live in a gay lifestyle and choose to stay away from home.
We recall the sweetest worship filled church services when the choir sang beautifully and the message was delivered with zeal.
We miss the old days and we might even become depressed because Christmas today is “just not the same.”
Isaiah 43:18b in the Good News version says “Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago.”
How convicting!
As the saying goes we should only glance at the rear view mirror but stay focused primarily on the road ahead.
I think one big reason God doesn’t want us to stay stuck in the past or linger at the old days is because He has such good things planned for the future.
If you watch the news, you can easily become discouraged and say the future looks dark and grim. That might be true from a worldly perspective, but it’s not true from God‘s point of view.
The disciples were very despondent on the Saturday after the crucifixion. Jesus had died and He was buried. They remembered the 3 years of ministry and probably beat themselves up over and over again.
They needed a fresh start.
They needed to see Jesus again.
They needed a resurrection.
They needed to see a new thing.
Our God gives us beautiful seasons.
Seasons of tucking our kids in bed and crossing off the days until Christmas.
Seasons of big family gatherings…and seasons when no one stops by to say hello.
Seasons of plenty and lean seasons when the cupboards were bare.
Jesus Christ is the same- yesterday, today and forever.
Whether your Christmas this year is joy-filled and delightful or painful and hard, Christ is all about the NEW.
He wants us to long for heaven.
Long for Him.
He wants us to be heavenly minded and not get too comfortable here.
May the Lord teach us to number our days…
May He help us not get caught up or tripped up by the past.
May we trust God in all seasons and enjoy this day- for it is truly a gift!
