New Path

 

We are continuing our focus on the newness of spring, and the newness of faith.  As I reflect on this newness, it is a bit hard for me to see the ‘new’ in things.  I believe as I have aged, I have become set in my ways.  Can you relate?  Whether it is my morning routine, the items I buy at the grocery store, or even what I make for lunches and dinners, it seems as if I have not stepped into anything new.  Sometimes, I can feel as if I am in a rut, nothing new, nothing exciting, just going about each day the same as the day before.  Newness does not seem to be around the corner.

Our faith can seem like that at times as well.  We go about our faith with the same familiar patterns.  Morning devotions, prayers in the evening, the same dinner grace, the routine of worship, all of this can be more of ‘checking the box’ than finding inspiration and newness in Jesus.  Then this special passage crosses my path, and as I reflect on its messaging, there is something exciting about it!  These words are God’s words!

“For I am about to do something new. . ..  Do you not see it?”  I looked at these words, knowing that God is talking to me, to us, about the newness that He has for us.  The verse before this one God says:

                              “Forget the former things; do not dwell in the past.”

God is sharing with us that the past is in the past.  Our old habits, our old ways, our familiar patterns can be changed, and He can change them for us!  In the dry wasteland of familiarity God will make a new pathway for us.  This pathway can help us to see His love and His light in unusual ways.  Forgetting the former things and moving into a new relationship with Christ can be difficult.  Doubts and fears can overtake us.  What if I really share with God all that I am (and am not) – will He still love me?  What if I confess ALL the sins I have committed, not just the ones I can say aloud, but what about the ones deep in my soul – will He still love me? 

My friends, Our Lord knows everything about us.   He is fully aware of what we are and what we are not.  He is aware of all of our sins.  He is aware of our habits and our routines.  He is also aware of what we need – the newness of Jesus in our lives and in our souls.  God has promised that newness; we need to see it.  Look around you and see what path God has provided to you.  Is there an opportunity to serve the church in a different capacity?  Is He preparing a path for you to share the good news with new people?  Look to see the new path that God has provided to you – and live out your faith, your simple faith – in a new way!

Lord, thank you for providing the new path for us!  May we forget the old way of doing things and replace it with the new opportunities and new paths that you have provided for us!  In your guiding name we pray.  Amen!