“Behold the former things have come to pass and new things do I declare, before they spring forth I tell you of them.” Isaiah 42:9
“Remember ye not the former things neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19
Rosh Hashanah (The Feast of Trumpets) and Yom Kippur are past: The Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement. Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles) is just below the horizon awaiting the full moon rising over Jerusalem on September 24-25. New beginnings. A time of reflection and repentance. A weeklong celebration of the new beginning. In the words of Isaiah, we hear the excitement of God. God tells His people what He will do before He even begins. It will take time and not be as fast as expected or desired but God is in no hurry for His plans are perfect. The Hebrew for new thing is chadesh which means to restore, renew. It implies something was broken. God is all about restoring our relationship to HIM! In the Greek, new beginning is Genesis.
New beginnings are not easy. Exciting? Sometimes. At other times, bittersweet and downright painful.
These scriptures are speaking to me right now. I am in the midst of a new beginning. The releasing of the past is proving to be a wrestling match within me. I KNOW this is God ordained. I KNOW this is best for me and my family. I KNOW God will be with me. I KNOW my memories are mine as long as my memory remains intact. I KNOW my true friends will remain my friends. So, what is the dilemma?, you ask. It is the tearing down of idols I did not know I had. It is the releasing of roots sunk into the soil of life. It is a major change in my life and the life of my family. It is the saying, “Goodbye” to a life I have loved. It is a letting go of how I thought life would be and the acceptance of how life really is. It is learning to hold my life loosely in my hand. It is the prying open of my grasping, controlling, fearful grip.
What am I going to be doing? I have not a clue! I only know the Father has said, to me it is time for a ‘new thing.” I will go through a wilderness and be in a desert for a time. I see the promise too: A way and rivers springing out of very dry ground!!! The past has passed. He is declaring a new beginning is coming even before I understand what it will be.
I am so thankful to my family and friends. The encouragement is universal. Each offers to assist in any way possible. I am most thankful to the LORD for His faithfulness to me. I am humbled by how He has been leading me just as He led Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joseph, David, the prophets, John the Baptist, Mary and Joseph, Jesus, the disciples, Paul, Timothy and others down through history. As with each of these men and women of God, He leads one step at a time. The picture goes together one piece of the puzzle at a time in His time and in ways we could not have imagined. As the prophet Isaiah reminds us: the Lord will tell us and make a way. We need not worry (preaching to self here!!!). God is excited about His plan for me and I should be too. The fact is this: He shared His plan proving He loves me and is working in my life! What more can I ask? What more can you ask?
You Say by Lauren Daigle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIaT8Jl2zpI
