Do you long for God to do a new thing in your life this year? Are you in need of a fresh work of the Divine kind?
Take heart, sweet friend, because the Living God specializes in making all things new – of breathing new life into the dry bones of old dreams. He sees where we are and He knows where we need to be. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. He knows the plans He has for us. He has created specific works for us to walk in – specific ministries for us to fulfill.
Sadly, we are often either too preoccupied with life or too overwhelmed by it to consider whether or not we are living out the dream He planted in our hearts long ago. Perhaps it’s time to contemplate the new things God wants to do in our lives for such a time as this. Maybe our thoughts of a new year will be reflections of the vision He has given us long ago.
Think for a moment about our God. There is nothing impossible for Him; He is beyond our comprehension. There are no words grand enough to explain Him. There is no place that can contain Him. He owns everything yet He owes no one anything. He is immeasurable and indescribable. He is all that and more and yet He chooses to take up residence in the hearts of men. He chooses to use those who He makes new to make a difference on planet earth for such a time as this.
When God chose to create planet earth from the emptiness of nothing, He did a new thing. When His voice pierced the darkness and He spoke light and life into existence, He did a new thing. When the Lord pulled this wretched girl from the pit, forgiving her sins and giving her a heart after Him, He did a new thing. If you’ve been born again by the Living God, He has done a new thing in you, as well.
Our wonderful God is in the business of doing new things – of making all things new.
There’s nothing too difficult for Him; He will withhold nothing good from those who walk uprightly. He specializes in creating something out of nothing – in doing the impossible and showing Himself strong on behalf of those who love Him.
He delights in doing a new work in and through us – He is glorified when we bear fresh fruit – when we sing a new song – when He gives us a new name. He longs for us to return to the place in our lives in which He can do a new thing – to a place where we embrace our God!
This week, in a three part series, we’ll examine a few verses that remind us that God desires to do a new thing in, through and for us – no matter what our circumstances are.
Today we will look at how we may need to look back before we are able to see the Lord do a new thing in our future.
If you will, please look with me at Jeremiah 31:21-22 in the New Living Bible and then answer the questions below,
“Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Mark well the path by which you came. Come back again, my virgin Israel; return to your towns here. How long will you wander,my wayward daughter? For the Lord will cause something new to happen—Israel will embrace her God.”
1. What commands does God give His daughter, Israel, before He says He will do a new thing?
2. What will the new thing be?
3. What question does the Lord ask?
Perhaps you are looking for the Lord to do a new thing in your life, but you haven’t considered that He is looking for you to begin doing some new things first. Maybe the Lord is calling you to the place of embracing Him as you did before – to return to your First Love. Maybe, just maybe, He wants you to travel back down the path that led you to where you are now and get started on the right foot again. Perhaps He longs for you to do do the first works (Revelation 2:5).
Oh, how beautiful His voice is as He calls us back to Himself. You may be longing for Him to do a new thing in you life, but before He will, He might just be calling you to do the old things first.
4. What are the old things He is calling you to do before He will do a new thing for you?
5. What steps do you need to retrace in order to begin the new thing He has for you?
6. Do you hear Him saying, “Come back again”? Is He wondering how long you will wander from His loving arms and perfect will?
7. Will you begin this new year by emracing your God so He can do a new thing in, through and for you?
Sweet friends, I’m so excited and covicted at the same time. I know the Lord is calling me to a new place and wants to do some new things in my life – but I’m also aware that many of the new things He wants to do require that I retrace my steps and look for some of the signposts that marked my life not so long ago.
It’s strange how those who are involved in ministry can often let the ministry become their focus instead of the God who they are ministering for. Returning to the place of embracing God means doing the first works.
What about you? Do you need God to do a new thing in your life? Is God calling you to retrace your steps to the place of embracing your God? Do you hear the Lord calling to your wandering heart, “Come back agian.”?
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