A New Thing
by Tanya Person
As I was thinking and praying recently about many things, God brought the phrase to my mind, ‘I am doing a new thing’. This is found in Isaiah 43, which I have chosen for our scripture for today. You may recognise it, as it has been used many times in Seeds of the Kingdom. As I pondered this verse, I could imagine people saying, “You always say God is doing a new thing! Wasn’t that just for the people back then? A one-time occasion to which God was referring?”
Like a flash, I remembered story after story in the Old Testament when the Israelites were going into battle. When they asked God for a strategy for the battle, He had a different plan each time - a ‘new thing’! You can see this with Joshua and the Israelites walking around the walls of Jericho, but then they didn’t ask God for directions before attacking Ai and they were chased from the town. After they repented of the sin that was in the camp, God gave them directions to take all the fighting men and attack Ai, and this time they were victorious. Over and over, as the Israelites were following God’s commands, He gave them specific instructions for each battle.
We can see a similar idea in the New Testament. Jesus healed in a myriad of different ways - a ‘new thing’ for each occasion. God is continually doing a new thing. Our God is creative, and He has new things for us all the time.
‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past’. As human beings, we so easily get into the habit of doing things the same way. We think, “this is how we have always done it,” or we maybe ask for advice from different people, and we forget to ask God how He wants us to do things this time.
Sometimes we ask God for fresh insight for the big things, but with the ‘smaller’ things we don’t think to ask Him. I feel God encouraging us today to seek Him in the big and the small things. He wants to do a new thing. Let us look to Him so we can perceive it.
Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times I have not looked to You for fresh ways of doing things. Remind me to look to You. I commit myself anew to listening for Your leading in the big things and the seemingly insignificant things. Amen.
Tanya Person Tanya and her husband, Jim, were missionaries to Hungary for over 18 years. They have worked with Ellel since 2005. After serving in various positions with Ellel in Central and Eastern Europe, God led them back to the United States, where they are now serving with the Ellel USA team. They have a passion to see leaders restored, the church discipled and walking in God’s fullness of life and freedom, and for mentoring the existing and developing team. Tanya also enjoys crocheting and knitting in her free time and has written some children’s picture books.
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