In the time of the prophet Isaiah, the Jewish people were filled with crises. Babylonian armies had attacked Judea earlier in the century and a large segment of the population of Judah now lived as captives or exiles along the banks of the Euphrates. They were spiritually alienated from their religious environment and lived among people with other gods. Economically, they were fairly well off, prospering in commerce and trade. Back home those left behind in Judah lived in ruins and survived by plundering the land. There was a lot of anxiety and uncertainty.
Isaiah wants to direct the attention of this exiled people beyond tragedy to a vision of restoration of a vital faith community. He assures them that no matter where they are, God’s presence is with them. So Isaiah speaks of God’s saving activity in history: “Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick.” They are comforting words, a reminder of God’s presence at the Exodus events when God led them out of slavery in Egypt.
Just when memories of the Exodus take hold, they hear “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.” Isaiah says they can’t keep looking back at what was. There is hope now. The newest threat to freedom is their own prison of lethargy and even their memory of the past.
Instead, God has a message for them: “I am about to do 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.” God is encountered in the ever-changing events of history, past and future. God calls them to look ahead and be open to the future. God will be with them in the potentially perilous happenings they now face as God has always been.
Today we face unprecedented upheavals in life as we’ve known it. We feel trapped in our homes and are invaded by fear from media and leaders. Yet we hear God speaking once more, saying, do not look back to what was, a new thing can come out of this.
I sit in my office and wonder what I or we can do to make this “new thing” emerge. If we all pray for guidance to help make something new and good come out of this pandemic and other disasters, we might find a new purpose for our time. Perhaps this is a time to take out our Christmas lists and contact those people with love and support. Maybe this is the time to re-read our Bibles. It is time for us to consider how we can be part of God’s new thing to come.
God, you constantly do new things to bring hope and promise into our lives and world. Help me to keep that vision of hope alive in my life and commit myself to sharing your hope with others. Amen.
Song: “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” by Isaac Watts
Pastor Tyger Penson
3-18-20