God Promises a Life of New Beginnings

Scriptures: Isaiah 43:18 - 19 - Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.

19 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.

Philippians 3:13-14 - Brethren, I do not count myself to have [a]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

One of the great promises that attracts us to the Christian life is that God has promised us that life in His family would be a life of transformation.  The foundation of that great hope is that He not only promises that our sins are not remembered by Him anymore and they are cast as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), but the things that defined our past no longer should define our future.  He will do a new thing in us and will supernaturally continue to bring this change to the fruition of looking like the Lord Jesus Christ in character and ultimately substance.   In the Isaiah passage of our meditation, God decrees that we are not to dwell on the past but live with an anticipation and expectation of His new work and intentions for our lives.  He will do a new thing in us who believe on His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

An unknown author once said about God’s poetic description in Isaiah 43, “the God is able to make rivers spring forth in the desert.  If He can do that, we should be able to trust Him to cover the messes we made in our past and supply everything we need for a bright new future of becoming what we have never been before, flowing rivers in the desert of life”.  He is the One who is able to take broken, worn out, failed dusty experiences and bring forth an orchard of beautiful and plentiful fruit trees unto His glory (John 15:8).  There is always the danger that we dwell too much on our past failures and sins so that we live in a state of depression, even for some, a state of hopelessness and uselessness in life.  We carry a weight of guilt and shame for things that God has forgiven and long forgotten into each day of our lives ignoring and forgetting the great plans God has already set in motion for His children.  

Awaken child of God and look to Him for a life filled with the promised changes of eternal life that starts in our new hearts.  Let each day begin with a decree in your own soul that God loves me no matter what and then present yourself to Him to do anything and everything on His agenda for your change today.  Look for His lessons and His guidance throughout the day.  He says, “See I am doing a new thing …do you not perceive it?”  He is with us each moment of the day and working to bring lives that bring Him glory as well as great pleasure (Phil. 2:13).

Because we are surrounded by so many distractions that can consume our attention, we at times must be diligent to press toward the goal of His upward call in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14).  The promises are ours, but we must purpose to walk in them so that they will become the experience and product of God’s great work in and through us.

Prayer: Thank You, God our Father, for Your great love that draws me back to You when I have made a mess of my privileges in life.  Thank You for Your continual offer of forgiveness and Your great power to turn things around so that I can get back on the road You have assigned for me, in Jesus Name with gratitude and love, amen.

(by Pastor Wayne Cockrell)