Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
This section was clearly written for suffering people.This was a crucial time of self-examination and repentance for people who had drifted far too easily into idol worship, greed, and corruption. But now the Lord was drawing a sharp dividing line between past and future. That was then; this is now. I am doing a new thing, creating a path through the desert. God still does new things for His people today. Maybe you’ve been dwelling on past mistakes. Now God tells you, “Forget about it! Let Me do something new with you.” Newness can be scary. We sometimes find comfort in clinging to our old ways. Even our old regrets can feel familiar. We might not know what sort of courage we will need for the future. Forgetting the past requires mental and spiritual discipline. It takes faith to step forward into God’s new direction. Think of the people you see every day, weighed down by past regrets. How can you ease that burden? How can you be an agent of God’s newness? Are there people you need to forgive? Do you need to make it clear to them that they are forgiven? Are there others who just need the reassurance of God’s forgiveness for mistakes they have made? Bring today’s verse with you as you offer them peace for the past and excitement over the new thing God can do in their lives.
