“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” — Isaiah 43:19
God is always about moving us to the next level. However, in this fallen world that we live in, we’ve experienced lots of setbacks and failures. These mistakes have a way of enslaving us. We become so enslaved we find it difficult to enjoy the full Christian life.
One of the mistakes we’ve experienced could have been a dead-end job. We suddenly feel stuck, and then say, “I went into the wrong career.” Others may have experienced cut-off relationships; we get married, only to find out that the marriage is a failure. We then end up in a divorce or the marriage may survive — in a tragic, unending or a chain of arguments and fights.
The truth is we’ve all experienced some kind of setbacks and failures. And we spend hours upon hours with loved ones, friends and some times complete strangers “remembering how things used to be.” Some of those memories are painful, and “remembering” them will only bring hurt — it’s like reopening a bad wound.
It’s also important to note that God is a God of change. God is a God of the future. God is a God of second chances. God is the God who says, “I am about to do something new!”
And when God does something new, God doesn’t throw away the old. When God makes things new, God totally transforms it. God changes the old by transforming it into something new!
This is what God is speaking about through the Prophet Isaiah. He wants us to understand the faithfulness of God. Isaiah wants us to trust God through our wilderness. In other words, allow God to speak direction to us, which will lead us to a continuous changing life.
If we let God remain intimately involved in our lives God will be with us every step we take! For God will give us direction, peace, and hope as we travel through our spiritual wilderness.
Remember, we are God’s witnesses. So let’s continue to be faithful and allow God to take care of our every outcome!
So as we prepare for the hard work that lies ahead, be encouraged. Start now praying for the changes that are sure to come. If we fully commit our lives, God will do something new. Just follow the one who won us through his death, burial and resurrection. His name is Jesus, he is the only one that is about “moving us to the next level.”
Rev. Marion J. Miller is senior pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church, Jeffersonville. Contact her at 812-283-3747 or wesley1201@sbcglobal.net.
