"A New Thing"

Scripture: 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.

Observation:
The word "hope" has been weighing heavy on my heart the past couple of days.  On Wednesday night at FpStudents, I got to hang out with a different small group than I normally do.  I walked away heartbroken after hearing more stories of families who are beyond broken, girls who aren't sure who to trust, and situations that feel hopeless.  This theme of hopelessness is recurring in all of the groups I've talked to… including my adult small group.  In each group, I've heard someone say, "It's just hard to believe anything will ever change when this has been going on for so long."

I'm in the same boat.  There's a situation in my family that I've prayed for over and over for about 2/3 of my life.  I know how hard it is to keep believing-- to keep hoping.  I know what it feels like to think, "Oh, I think something's shifting a little bit.  Maybe this time will be different," only to have that hope dashed again.  Some days it's hard to even formulate the words of this worry into a prayer.

But in this verse, God asks us to let hope in again.  He says, "Trust me.  I've got a plan in the works.  Expect something new.  Don't be afraid to believe things can change.  I can make a way out of no way.  I can make water rush through the desert.  I can do the impossible."

Application:
Whew!  I could use some hope that a stream is going to rush through a quench my desert situation, couldn't you?  We've got to believe that he can do a new thing.  We've got to know he still works miracles.  We have to trust that even if we're still waiting out in the wilderness right now, he's here with us... and this time in the wasteland isn't wasted.  He's using this to deepen our relationship with him.

So in these situations that seem hopeless, let's claim this promise.  God IS doing a new thing!  So let's keep expecting it.  On the days that it is hard to say another prayer for that situation, know that "the Spirit himself intercedes with wordless groans" (Romans 8:26).  God is our only hope… and he's already got a plan in motion.

Prayer:
Lord, you are worthy of our hope!  You are a promise keeper.  I claim this promise right now.  Lord, please do a new thing in my desert situation.  As I look back on all the years I've prayed for this, I see you were with me in the wilderness all along.  You have used this so many times to teach me different things.  I know you are in control and that you have a plan.  Lord, help me to keep hoping that you can make a way out of no way.  In Jesus' name!  Amen!

Confident in this…
Miranda

(I ended up adding a follow-up to this post.  Check it out: "Even If He Does Not".)