Foundations
2020 was a year to remember. The world shut down due to the pandemic. Racism and rioting exploded on the streets of our country. The most uncivil election in history which led to the polarization of our country. And now we enter 2021 just hoping that this year is better than last year. With this in mind I sketched together a new sermon series for our church called The Power of RE. Each week in January we take a look at words that begin with the prefix RE. What jumpstarted this series was a passage from Isaiah 43. Here’s what it says:
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.
Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV Translation
This verse gives us insight into how we look at 2021 differently.
Don’t Dwell on the Past
First, Isaiah reminds us not to dwell on the past. 2020 happened. We cannot change that but we don’t have to dwell on it. It’s like I always say, “The rearview mirror in our cars are small compared to the windshield because we are supposed to spend less time looking behind us and more time focused on what’s ahead.” That doesn’t mean that we can’t learn from 2020. I think there are volumes that we can and have learned. But we must spend more time focused on what’s in front of us. And why? Well, Isaiah tells us that too.
God Is Doing Something New
I don’t know what you might believe or not believe but I am confident that God did not create the virus to punish us or get our attention. I don’t think God created the virus at all. But I am 100% sure that God will make good out of what may have been intended for evil. Remember what Joseph said to his brothers in Genesis 50:20? “You meant evil against me but God used it for good.” Or how about Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good, for those who love God. I am just crazy enough to believe that God is doing something new in 2021. He’s doing something new in me, he’s doing something new in you and he’s doing something new in his church. In the words of DC Talk, “God is doing a nu thang!” Look it up.
Do You See It?
Isaiah then asks the question, do you see it? You can’t see it if you are not looking for it. If you are too busy focused on the past you will miss the new thing that God is doing right in front of you. I am a futurist. I love looking down the road and anticipating the new things that are coming our way. Life is going to look different in 2021. Yes, we will reminisce about the days where we wore masks when we went out in public and how we weren’t allowed to hug people. But we will also experience new ways of doing community and new ways of doing church. God is doing a new thing and I can’t wait to see what it is. The challenge for us will be our openness of the new things and our willingness to go of the old ways.
God Will Make A Way
Like Isaiah said, “God will make a way in the wilderness.” God is making a way for us in this wilderness we now find ourselves in right now. He will restore us and revive us as we hit the reset button, resist temptation, rejoice always, and reimagine life. God will make a way. Make sure to come back and check out the first word of the Power of RE – RESET.
