A new beginning – Looking beyond
At the beginning of a New year it is customary for us to think of this as a time of new beginnings, a time for new resolutions. But the truth is that with God anytime is a time for a new beginning.
John 10:10 “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Our God has come to give life and hope. We need to believe in this new beginning.
If we were to think about 2020 , Most of us would say that it was a difficult year due to the pandemic and we are all expecting big things in year 2021.
The Promise for this year 2021, we felt was the entire chapter of Isaiah 43. This Promise is for Our Families, Our Church and Our City.
This is what the Lord says— He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,
So Before we read Isaiah 43, Let us look at the context . Let’s understand little bit of it’s background.
Because the people of Jerusalem sinned, God allowed Babylonians to destroy their city and to take them into exile as slaves. It is now five decades later (50 Years), near the end of the exile. Most of the exiled people have been born in captivity in Babylonia. During this period, they have done a good deal of soul-searching. During these decades, the exiles have experienced a crisis in their faith. Is God not powerful? Has God abandoned them?
Chapters 40-55, the portion of the book of Isaiah that deals with the end of the Babylonian exile, begins with the words, “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.
The fulfilment of this promise came through Cyrus II of Persia, who defeated Babylonia. Not only did Cyrus allow the exiles to return to their homeland, but he would also provide financial assistance to allow them to rebuild (Ezra 1:2-4).
Let us read the Chapter and we will see what God has kept for Our Families, Our Church & Our City in 2021.
Isaiah 43:1-21
43 But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf.
9 All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
11 I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
14 This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians, in the ships in which they took pride.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.”
16 This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,
17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
19 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.
20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
Let us see what is the promise for us in year 2021
- Do Not Fear
Verse 1- But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
The above verse is for Israel when they lived in exile for 50+ years. And were still slaves, under the Babylonians .
And God says “Do Not Fear”.
What Causes us Fear, something which we are going through today? Something which we experienced in the past and Fear, that it should not recur?
The Current Circumstance made them fear, because it’s been so long that they have been slaves and don’t see any way out.
What do we Fear today, as we celebrate the new year 2021 today? As we read the verse in Today’s Context.
God Says, Do Not Fear? Why? The response is in verse 1.
A. “For I have redeemed you”.
Jesus paid the price for us and he brought us back.
B. “ I have summoned you by name”
God has called us by Name
C. “you are mine”
We belong to Him.
As we Face this 2021 with all the Uncertainties, God is asking Us , Our Families & Our Church. –
You are Mine, I have called you by your name, I have paid the price for you.
In spite of all the suffering and apparent hopelessness of their situation, we need not fear the future.
- Assured of God’s Protection
Verse 2- When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
When we look at it from our Context.
The promise is not that our way will be easy or without danger, but rather, when we would be exposed to danger we will be neither be overwhelmed nor consumed. We would face challenges this Year but we need to be assured of His protection.
- Establishing Community
Verse 4- Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf.
God’s Promise of restoration; He Says , that we are precious. He is going to give us People & Nations in exchange . He is going to gather those who have gone far and bring them back . We need to be prepared for this. While preparing, I felt that we need to prepare our Spiritual Life to absorb His promise. Especially each one of us and our Church NHC need to be prepared.
God is going to give people, give nations / cities (These are the places for which we have been praying for. Remember all those places where we as a church prayed for?) to us and God is going to bring back people who have gone far from the Lord and He will give them to us. To receive this promise, we need to be prepared and our spiritual journey need to Grow.
- New Mind Set
Verse 16- This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,
17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
19 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 verse 16 & 17 looks back to the Exodus, where the Israelites, after leaving Egypt, with the Egyptian army in hot pursuit, found their escape route blocked by the Red Sea. The Israelites (with the exception of Moses) were afraid, but God told Moses to stretch out his staff over the sea to divide it so that the people would have a way of escape. When Moses did as God instructed, “God caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all through the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left” (Exodus 14:21-22).
The Egyptian army pursued the Israelites through the Red Sea, but God instructed Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” (Exodus 14:26). When Moses did as instructed, the waters returned to their normal state and drowned the Egyptian soldiers. (Exodus 14:30-31).
Having just alluded so vividly to the Exodus (vv. 16-17), it seems odd that the Lord would now say, “Don’t remember the former things.” Verse 18 . It seems contradictory to recount former things in one breath and then, in the next breath, to ask people not to remember them.
We often make the mistake of remembering the marvellous past and forget that the Lord still does marvellous things. In other words, too much of the past and too little of the present, we need to shift our attention from the past to see the amazing things that God has planned for us NOW.
God may not work the same way he worked before. He may work differently this time. We may stand near the Red Sea to be parted but this time God may send an Aeroplane to cross that See. Expect different things from God this Year.
Look at the Aeroplane, Verse 19 – The Lord is doing a new thing Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
This is the Lord’s way of saying, “Wake up, folks! Look around! Open your eyes! Something great is happening! Can you see it?”
Church, we would have a great year 2021. Let us look forward and believe in this promise of Isaiah 43.
Not by our Strength but through Christ.
Virjil Selvan is Pastoring the New Hope Community. The New Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that New Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
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