Moving Forward for New Things

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV)

I wasn’t expecting to write or teach on this topic of “new things” after my last post, but God gave me this word to share. For a while now, I’ve wanted to read the book of Isaiah from start to finish, all 66 chapters, but there seems to always be another topic or another study to complete. On New Year’s Day, I sat in my room, my cat sleeping on my lap, and I finally read Isaiah from start to finish. It just so happened that this key verse was also the verse of the day on the YouVersion Bible app.

Going through the context of Isaiah 43:18-19 more fully, this question remained in my mind: Why does the Lord tell us “remember not the former things”?

Throughout Scripture, he asks us to remember his works. The parting of the Red Sea, deliverance from Egypt, and so much more. When God responds to Job in his suffering, for example, He reminds Job of all His wonderful works to assure man that He can really do anything. So…why should we “remember not”?

After going through commentaries and praying for clarity, I came to these conclusions:

1) Maybe He’s telling us to forget our sins and move forward. I think that’s why Paul was adamant about that in Philippians 3:13-14; we can’t let our past rob us of what God is going to do next. If we stay stuck in what was, we’ll miss out on what is and what will come.

2) Or maybe God is telling us that what is to come is so much greater than what He has done before, and we can’t be stuck on his works of old. If we want to truly see and know the miracles that will come, we need to stop obsessing over the past. We can fix our eyes on God, yes. We can and should remember what he did for us. But if we’re so stuck on what he did before – to the point where we miss out on today, how will we see what he’s doing now?

We need to stand firm and be ready to see what God will do next. We know he’s faithful and he can work miracles – it’s no longer a question of if, but how.

Throughout Isaiah, Jesus is prophesied. But we could easily miss Jesus if we were looking at the law and not at grace. We could easily miss the new heaven and new earth (Isaiah 65:17) if we’re looking at what was or what currently is.

The new things are greater.
The new things don’t compare to what we already have lived and experienced.
If we stay stuck on the old things, we might miss the new.

So how do we do this? How can we “remember not” the former things and press on to what is new?

• We forget the past of who we once were and walk in the freedom of who we are today. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” In Isaiah 43:25, the Lord declares that he forgets, or “blots out” our sins. It’s time we walk in that freedom He has given us!
• We know God’s track record. He always keeps his promises (Psalm 145:13).
• We remember what He has done (Isaiah 46:9), and we don’t stay stuck in the past. We remember that God doesn’t always work exactly as we would expect and we trust HIM with all that will come. We ask God for vision and perspective, so we can see what He is doing and what He will do.

I also think it’s important to make the distinction between “moving on” and “moving forward.” When we move on, we leave behind what was and forge our way into something new. We may not agree with the direction we’re going or path we’re on. We’re usually “over it” and striving for something new. But when we move forward, there’s this sense of opportunity and optimism. We take ownership of what is our’s, of decisions we can make and actions we can control, and let go of everything else. There’s an openness and willingness to surrender to God, not to force our way into a new beginning, but to trust him wherever we stand…and wherever he takes us. Moving on is an act of compliance in response to reality. Moving forward is a declaration to make progress, regardless of what life looks like.

Let today be that day. The one where you give God the reins and direct your path. Be open to what he has for you. It’s not about compliance. It’s not about changing behaviors or forcing yourself to forget the old things. It’s purely about receiving God’s grace and his vision for your life, and walking in the freedom he has reserved especially for you today. What he has for you is exceedingly abundantly greater than what you have ever known. Let’s make the decision to move forward into the new things God has for us.

Reflect: What part(s) of your past do you need to release to God today? What new things is God doing in your life? How can you fully walk in that calling today? Share in the comments below, so I can be praying and partnering with you in faith!