2014

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing 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.

-Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

So here we are. Ready to celebrate the dawn of another New Year. Some of us might be thinking, “about time. I couldn’t wait for 2013 to be over.”

On the other hand, some of us might be thinking, 2013 wasn’t so bad…do we need to make a change?

The passage from Isaiah that I quoted above reminds us of what our attitude should be. “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it”

Those who are in Christ understand that our faith is a forward looking faith. It always has been.  In the Old Testament, the faithful looked forward to the day of the Lord; when the Messiah would make his appearance and make all things good.

In New Testament times (which we are in now), while we realize that a number of things that were wrong have been righted – especially our relationship with God through the sacrifice of Jesus, we still look forward.  Even in the post resurrection state, things are not perfect; we yearn for the times when they are.

The apostle Paul referred to this life as a “light momentary affliction” (visit 1 Corinthians 4:17) in which we look forward to the eternal.  Isaiah simply reminds us to not spend your time looking back.  A famed baseball player from my youth by the name of Satchel Paige used to put it like this: “Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you” Jesus was even more blunt than Satchel Paige when he said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (visit Luke 9:62)

Friends our very lives are never about what has happened in the past.  Good or bad.  It’s not that we are told to forget, but we are called to look and move forward.  As we end 2013 and move forward into 2014, what do you look forward to?  What do you need to have happen this new year?

Let me encourage you to lift these things up to God in prayer. There is a reason we are told not to look back.  And trust that God will be in what we are looking forward to in the future.

Happy New Year!