DON'T REMEMBER THE PAST?!?!?

I am the Lord, your Holy One,
    the Creator of Israel, your King.
Future-in-the-Past Tense in English GrammarThus says the Lord,
    who makes a way in the sea,
    a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse,
    army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
    they are extinguished, 
   quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
    or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;

           Isaiah 43:15-19a (NRSV)


"Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old."  Does this mean we disregard the lessons of the past?  My experience is that the history of God's interactions with humanity informs and forms our faith.  The past also provides wonderful metaphors that help guide us and aid in discerning God's will.  Yet in Isaiah 43:18 it says, "Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history." (MSG)

 So, let's go back to the beginning of this passage.  In verses 15-17, God identifies Godself as Israel's deliverer, using imagery which invokes the memory of the escape from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea.  

 God also reminds God's people, which includes us, that God is "Creator."  God is creative and a creative problem solver who will do new things.  These new things are not contrary to God's nature, God's will and God's intent.  They can be hard to understand if we're locked into expecting God to do the same thing, the same way, each time.

 What I believe God is telling us is "I am the Lord, the Holy One, your Creator and King.  I am your deliverer.  You can count on that, but don't expect me to part the Red Sea every time I act on your behalf."

 One of the challenges we face as the Body of Christ is the re-opening of worship.  Circumstances dictate that services aren't going to be what we're used to for the time being.  It's hard, because people have very definite ideas about what it means to worship and what needs to be included.  

 If worship is about God and not about us, for the time being, let us be open to the presence of God in new, and maybe somewhat limiting ways of worshiping.  Let us be open to how God is using this time for us to provide worship in new ways that connect with new people that will result in bringing new life to them and to our churches.


Starting July 5, we'll be looking at moving into God's future  for us and for the church in a three-part series on Sunday, July 5, 12, and 19.  I'll be further developing Isaiah 43:15-21 as well as looking at passages from Jeremiah 29 and the story of Moses and the Exodus. 

 Please join us Constantine and White Pigeon United Methodist Churches for an on-line worship experience on this blog starting Sunday July 5.



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