Corona Devo 12
I am ready to start fresh today, how about you?
You might be like me, and are ready to start fresh on a recent level--I'd like to move forward having learned from some of my experiences and insanities last week.
We have (as a society) gained some perspective on the Coronavirus and possible deterents to keep it from spreading (Stay home!). Some of us have had a week or so with our kids at home, and the understanding that they will remain out of school has settled on us a bit.
Others of us may (finally) be ready to move forward out of something else--unrelated to the Corona chaos in our minds, cities and world. We've held on to (fill-in-the-blank) for long enough. It's finally time to step out of the past and let go of that lost relationship, those regrets, or that past sin. You are finally ready to start fresh.
I imagine that regardless of whether your situation has come on with Corona, or if it has been suffocating you for years: we have all had some ups and downs emotionally, physically and spiritually in the past week or 10 days.
Let's start fresh.
I was encouraraged to read in Isaiah 43 that Jesus is ready to move forward when we are.
“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." ~Isaiah 43:18-19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. ~Isaiah 43:18
If you are lamenting your pre-Corona life: the activities, the socializing, the schedule, I believe God sees our hearts and knows that we are feeling these things, but we can't stay in that thinking (because it isn't productive and it holds us captive.) If you blew up at the kids one too many times last week, or realized that much of your days and nights were spent suspended in worry about the Corona what-if's: God says to move on from that way of thinking or way of acting. Don't beat yourself up, but move forward. Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past ~Isaiah 43:18
Or it may be regret that we have been holding on to, or are hurt from past mistakes or relationships. If we keep clenching that tightly in our fist, we can never feel the peace of opening our hand and letting it go. Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. ~Isaiah 43:18
I picture Jesus saying this in a very calm and soothing voice to us, "It's okay--let's move forward together. It's a new day! A new week!" And in the same breath, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past." ~Isaiah 43:18
And so we move forward...not alone and in our own strength: But with Jesus and in His strength. Plus, He has plans for us today, and tomorrow and this week! I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." ~Isaiah 43:18-19
You might be like me, and are ready to start fresh on a recent level--I'd like to move forward having learned from some of my experiences and insanities last week.
We have (as a society) gained some perspective on the Coronavirus and possible deterents to keep it from spreading (Stay home!). Some of us have had a week or so with our kids at home, and the understanding that they will remain out of school has settled on us a bit.
Others of us may (finally) be ready to move forward out of something else--unrelated to the Corona chaos in our minds, cities and world. We've held on to (fill-in-the-blank) for long enough. It's finally time to step out of the past and let go of that lost relationship, those regrets, or that past sin. You are finally ready to start fresh.
I imagine that regardless of whether your situation has come on with Corona, or if it has been suffocating you for years: we have all had some ups and downs emotionally, physically and spiritually in the past week or 10 days.
Let's start fresh.
I was encouraraged to read in Isaiah 43 that Jesus is ready to move forward when we are.
“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." ~Isaiah 43:18-19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. ~Isaiah 43:18
If you are lamenting your pre-Corona life: the activities, the socializing, the schedule, I believe God sees our hearts and knows that we are feeling these things, but we can't stay in that thinking (because it isn't productive and it holds us captive.) If you blew up at the kids one too many times last week, or realized that much of your days and nights were spent suspended in worry about the Corona what-if's: God says to move on from that way of thinking or way of acting. Don't beat yourself up, but move forward. Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past ~Isaiah 43:18
Or it may be regret that we have been holding on to, or are hurt from past mistakes or relationships. If we keep clenching that tightly in our fist, we can never feel the peace of opening our hand and letting it go. Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. ~Isaiah 43:18
I picture Jesus saying this in a very calm and soothing voice to us, "It's okay--let's move forward together. It's a new day! A new week!" And in the same breath, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past." ~Isaiah 43:18
And so we move forward...not alone and in our own strength: But with Jesus and in His strength. Plus, He has plans for us today, and tomorrow and this week! I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." ~Isaiah 43:18-19
When God uses words like "wilderness and wasteland" in today's scripture, I know He has been peeking into my soul. Have any of you felt (at times) like the Corona-distancing and home-bound directives have made you feel like you are in a wilderness, or even a wasteland?
My house has been (at times) both of these things over the past weeks.
My attitude has been (at times) both of these things over the past weeks.
My heart has been (at times) both of these things over the past weeks.
It's humbling to admit those things, but it is freeing to know and accept God's promise in His Word that He is making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." ~Isaiah 43:18-19
That's why I love the Bible. It turns my frown upside down, because God sees us (El Roi/ "the God who sees me"). He knows, perceives and feels what we are experiencing, and He meets us there, and reminds us that He has a way out. He is the Way out.
And so we can take a deep breath, and face today.
We can even be excited to watch for what He has in store for us today, because you better believe that He has plans for us today. He is making a way in our wildernesses and making streams in our wastelands.
“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." ~Isaiah 43:18-19
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." ~Isaiah 43:18-19
Let's start fresh (in Jesus strength), and forget yesterday and embrace today.
Blessings,
Sarah
Comments
Post a Comment