Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

In Isaiah 42 God rebuked Israel because of their insolence, their spiritual blindness and their deafness to His words. Israel had failed to listen to God, to turn from their wicked ways. So God sent them into exile.

Although Israel was in exile, in Babylon, He still blessed them, He still took care of them. Now it was time for Israel to come home but God did not want them to come home with the same old attitude. God wanted Israel to forget the former ways, their disobedience their rebellious ways.

He desperately wanted Israel to walk in His ways to obey, to trust Him so that He could bless them abundantly. So, in chapter 43 He told them He was going to do new things in their life. The requirement was still going to be that Israel would have to listen and obey.

If you have ever had a child that was rebellious and you loved them so much you just wanted them to get beyond this stage so you could ravish them with your love and acceptance, then you know how God feels toward Israel. Even today He is still calling them home. He is still wanting them to take up their rightful place as His children, but they still rebel.

For us, God is always trying to bring us home to Himself, even though we just want to do things our own way. He allows things to happen in our lives to trust Him but many times we only trust ourselves.

God is always doing something new in our lives, He is always working in our lives to keep us moving forward. Forward in our thinking, in our attitude and in our walk with God is essential for a happy life. Forget anything in the past that needs to stay in the past.

Look to God for something new. Allow Him to make a way where there seems to be no way. Allow Him to show us the fast track through the wilderness that we are walking through. Allow Him to provide times of refreshing when things seem hopeless.

Prayer:
Father, it’s the time of year when I think about the struggles of the past year and hope for something different in the new year. When I trust in You, You never disappoint, NEVER!