New Year's Meditation: New You

Pause & Reflect with me on the words of Isaiah 43:18-19:
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive it?"

Forgetting "the former things" is difficult, especially after a challenging year. Where are you hoping for new things?

Good evening & Happy New Year. This is Chaplain Kevin. Would you pause with me and reflect as we begin this morning…

Today / This week we greet one another saying: “Happy New Year!” January 1st, is “happy” because after what may have been a challenging year, the New Year is a time for renewal. We set goals, make new resolutions and celebrate today in hope of things to come.

In Scripture, God grants us the grace to start anew saying: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! … Do you not perceive it?”

Perceiving the “new thing” that God is doing is not simply forgetting the difficult things in our past. But rather, is letting go of the way things should’ve & could’ve been, and allowing God to renew our hope, strength and perspective for the future. Ultimately, the “thing” God is making “new” this year, is you.

Where do you need God’s renewal?

How will you allow Him to make you new today?

Let’s pray: God, you know the challenges we endured in the past year. We thank you for the renewal of the New Year. We trust that you are doing a new thing in the coming year. Help us to perceive and participate in the newness. We pray these things in your Name. Amen.