Thursday, January 8, 2009

Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.

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.

Isaiah 43:18-19



As I've been working on my memory verse for Beth Moore's challenge, I'm more confident than ever that this particular verse was really chosen for me by God.

I really, really do need a road in the wilderness and rivers in my desert. And, I know that some of you do, too.

When I have found myself overwhelmed by some circumstances that I'm in right now and I hear the enemy whispering in my ear that things aren't gonna change. . . that they aren't gonna get any better. . . those words from Isaiah come to my mind.

My reply to those whisperings has been, "God said that He will do a new thing. He will make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. And, I believe Him because He cannot lie. You, Mister Enemy are the liar. You are the Father of All Lies."

And, because His word is alive and powerful. . . peace comes. Strength arises. And once again, hope is born.

But. . . . unfortunately, there's always a but. . . and this particular but is. . . I just wish I knew when. I can believe that You are going to do this. That Your word is true. But, when Lord?

When?


When am I going to see the road in the wilderness and the rivers in the desert?

When
am I going to see this new thing that You say You're going to do?

Haven't you asked the same question?

Don't you just wish He would give us a date? Maybe a month? Maybe spring? Maybe summer? Next fall? How about 2010?

When?

Well, hold on to your hat.

Because, He told me this morning. Sitting on my couch, with coffee in hand. Before the sun had even come up.

He told me when.

I thought about my memory verse and I wanted to say it.

Actually.. . I needed to say it.

I know the gist of it. But, I also know there are times that I need to be able to say it word for word. That way, I know I'm not leaving anything out or adding my own words or ideas to His. And, the fact that I have a tendency to talk too much, well. . . it could happen. And I'm sure it has.

Anyway, as I got to the fourth line or you might say, the fourth thought. . . . my mind went blank. I couldn't remember the next part. Not word for word anyway.

Zero. Nothing.

So, I reached over to my Bible and opened it to Isaiah 43. And, there was my answer to when.

A very specific answer.

And, the answer is . . . NOW.

The first word to the fourth line, or fourth thought, is NOW.

He is doing that new thing NOW.

Not later.

But, NOW.

Not when I'm better. Not when I am more repentant or humbled. Not when my heart, or the hearts of others, are more tender. Not when eyes can see more clearly and ears can hear. But, NOW.

RIGHT NOW!

He is making that road in my wilderness NOW.

He is making those rivers in my desert NOW.

He is doing that new thing, RIGHT NOW.

How do I know?

Because He said so. Right there in Isaiah 43:19.

He says: "Now it shall spring forth."

Not tomorrow. Not next month. Not summer or next fall. But, NOW.

It doesn't say. . . when you get your act together. . . when you trust me more. . . when you behave like a good little girl..

He says, "NOW it shall spring forth."

And, of yeah, I really like the words, spring forth.

I decided to look up the word, "spring" in Webster's dictionary.

Oh, my stars!

I can't write down all the meanings but here are just a few. . . to move by elastic force. . . . to issue with speed or force. . . to come into being. . . to begin to blow. . . to jump up suddenly. . . to undergo the splitting or cracking of. . . and my favorite. . . to release or cause to be released from confinement or custody.

It's springing up NOW!

That new thing. The road and the rivers.

As I've written this, there are several of you who read my blog that I have on my heart. As I pray for my new thing. . . I'm praying for your new thing, too. My heart breaks for you as you hurt and ache for your children. I know each of you would gladly give up your own life to be able to see a new thing done.

A new and good thing done in the lives of your children.

But, you don't have to give up your lives. And, I don't have to give up mine.

Jesus gave up His.


So He could do the new things. The new things for the ones we love.

We might not get to see it right now. We might have to wait.

But it doesn't mean He isn't doing it.

Those that saw their friend, their brother, their King, die on the cross. . . they had to wait.

But while they waited in darkness, look what was going on.

God was doing something.

Chains were being broken and prisoners were being set free.

Roads were being made in the wilderness and The River of Life was springing up in the desert.

He did it then and He is doing it NOW!

So, the way I see it is that I have one more reason to praise Him. One more benefit to remember. One more reason to lift up my head and sing. One more time to remember that what was meant for evil. . . God will use for good.

The word is NOW.

Today the word is NOW!

2 comments:

  1. Very inspirational post! Thanks for always lifting me up :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, Cheri. That was awesome. So needed that. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete