Can You Handle A New Thing? 4-20-25

Welcome to the word for the week. In Isaiah 43:19, God said behold I am going to do a new thing. That is paraphrased for a reason. Before we get there we have to deal with a question. What does a new thing look like to you? What does that mean to you? Now for the sake of clarity there is something God was really saying in verse 18-19. He was reminding the people prior to that all of the things that He had already done. Then He was telling them not to consider those things because greater things were in store. In plain English God was literally saying if you think you have seen something already then you need to prepare for the best that is yet to come. Before you get too excited there is one more question that needs to be asked. What exactly is that going to cost you?

A new thing being done on your behalf means that you cannot continue on business as usual. It does not matter how long you have had your driver’s license there comes a time when you must renew it. If you do not renew it then you will not be able to legally drive on the road. You will still have the skills to drive. You will still remember which way you need to go. But you will not be able to go there because your license will no longer be valid. Life is the same way. It is good to praise God for what He has already done. However, you need to allow God the room to continue to move in you. It is easy to become so comfortable in what has already been done until you do not strive for what else is in store. It is easy to say you want everything that God has for you. Are you willing to do your part?

For God to do a new thing in you it means that you must first get rid of the old. The old is a variety of things. You need to get rid of old habits that are not good for you. You need to get rid of old ways that are not good for you. You need to get rid of the old way of thinking. You need to get rid of the old way of talking. You need to get rid of so many old things if you are going to make room for the new. We want to keep everything no matter what. What we fail to understand is that some things are past their expiration date. There is this thing with God called time. There is a time for everything. One of those things in that passage talks about a time to gain and a time to lose or let go. There are times when you will need to let go in order to move forward. Look around you as we speak. Are you surrounded by the right people to get where you are trying to go?

There was an old saying in church that said if the Lord does not do another thing He has done enough already. Nowhere did it say that they did not want Him to do another thing. That statement meant that they would find contentment in all that He had already done. So part of moving forward means you must also appreciate God for what He has done. If you cannot thank Him for the small things then there is a great chance you will try to take all of the credit for the big things. When you hear people saying I did this or I did that then you are hearing someone who has forgotten that all things were only possible through Christ. Everyday you need to be asking God what is it about me that will hinder what You have in store for me. You need to be asking God to help you so that you do not become your only holdup. God has promised you victory. The only way you can lose is if you decide to do things your way and not His.

May the Lord continue to bless and keep you in His grace,
Bishop Carlos J. Lennon