PASTOR’S CORNER: God is going to do a new thing

Here is the good news for somebody, the fresh start, the new beginning. In the process of being trapped by our own doing, God is still going to do something better. It’s time for a new thing to happen and it’s going to happen. Despite ourselves, God is still going to show up. We need to forget the former things, the things of old because they are old things. Old things are old. We need a new thing.

All of us know something about things getting old. When our furniture gets old, we want something new. Our cars get old and we have to have something new. Clothes get old and we buy something new. Appliances can get old and we got to bring in something new. The house gets old and run down, and we must move into something new. All of these are old things. God is saying forget the old for until we forget the old, we cannot embrace something new.

When one leaves a broken relationship and the hurt that came along with it, they cannot be open to the possibility of a brand-new relationship with someone who will treat them like somebody until they let go of the past relationship. Holding on to old hurts does nothing but keep the wound open and an open wound cannot heal.

Old things are what’s keeping a lot of people back — dwelling on the past, remembering old things. Life is at a standstill when we remember and hold on to past failures, past mistakes and past wrongs. No wonder so many people feel like they are in prison. They are in church but in a prison, on the choir but in prison, smiling on the outside but in a prison.

Sometimes we’re in a prison of our own making but the passage in our scripture Isaiah 43:19 encourages us to forget the former thing. The things that took your joy, your peace and your happiness, forget them. Do not dwell on the past. Your future is where it’s at. We can imprison ourselves because we think that because of past failures God can’t use us but God is good.

Every day is a good day and every day is a new opportunity. We ought not let yesterday’s failures and mistakes stop today’s opportunities. Today is a brand-new day and today God wants to do a new thing. I read this week about an American football quarterback who stepped onto a stage that wasn’t a sports arena. He spoke to 300 prison inmates sharing with them the scriptures of Isaiah 43:18-19. These were inmates who were broken and no doubt hurting because of their past and the mistakes that they made. As the scripture was read God showed up behind the bars and the chapel broke out in praise and worship. The men were weeping and praying together. In the end, some 27 inmates gave their lives to Christ. Isaiah 43:18-19 came alive to them.

In a recovery program to get former prison inmates back into society can be a hard task. First, the inmates have to deal with their guilt and shame. Society doesn’t help at all sometimes because oftentimes the inmates are labeled and that label follows them. When some people find out that a person has been in prison, especially for a major crime they climb up, distance themselves and frown upon them. The inmates feel the effect. They are out of prison, but still in prison! But everybody deserves another chance; another chance to start over!

All of us, every one of us have made mistakes yet God doesn’t throw us on the rubbish heap or in the trash dump. Truth be told some folks are more guilty of things that the ones who went to prison are guilty of. They just didn’t get caught! We all ought to be glad that God doesn’t open our closets and let everything that we have done spill out so everybody can see it!

W ought to be glad that God doesn’t reveal every negative thought that we think. Some of the thoughts we thought this week. Some of the thoughts we had this morning! Oh yes, we thought it! Thank God that he doesn’t reveal secrets!

So no wonder when somebody like the American football quarterback speaks the words of Isaiah to broken, hurting prison inmates they are overwhelmed emotionally and worship and praise break out behind bars. This verse of the scriptures says that all hope for them is not gone. Isaiah spoke to them that though they messed up, though they were broken and hurting, God was going to do a new thing in their lives. That’s what God is saying to somebody today.

So, we need to forget the former things. Just forget it. The things that took your joy, your peace and your happiness, forget them and do not dwell on the failures of the past. That’s old stuff now. Your future is where it’s at, and God is going to do a new thing in your life. In fact he will do greater things than he did before. Isn’t that something?

For if we have confessed to God and been forgiven (1 John 1:9). Let us no longer be held captive by failures and mistakes of the past; know that the former things are to be remembered no more. God will do greater things than he did before. What the devil meant for bad, God is going to work it for your good. God is going to do a new thing.