Sunday 3 Apr 2022

April 3: Isaiah 43:16-21

Key Verse: Isaiah 43:18
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

Devotion:
Here is one of those things which is said, you know it is true, but you have difficulty doing what it says! When we started up our youth ministry, we chose this section of passage because of the hope it gives us that we have something new to look forward to. It may not seem like it when you are in the think of trouble, but we can always look forward to something new. At the very least it is the new beginning we are going to receive in Heaven; but more often it is something just round the corner...

I have always had difficulty letting go of things in the past because, more often than not, I put everything into the present and hope for the future. Yes, very optimistic some will say, but after seeing how God answers prayers over and over again, I know I have always got something to look forward to – be it tomorrow or a decade from now!

When we are in troubled times, all we see is the trouble which surrounds us – like being at sea in a storm. All we can see is the next wave coming to crash into the boat. But when the waters are calm, we can see for miles in all directions! Our lives are going to be like this, sometimes it will be clear sailing and we will see everything in a beautiful light. Sometimes it will be as if we are in the middle of a storm and we see wave after wave and nothing more.

But, every storm will pass and once again the sea will be calm. It is during the calm times we need to continue focusing on God so we can steer towards the land in the distance. He wants to show us which direction to turn to, but we have to be willing to stop and listen. God is Good!

Points to Ponder:
Do you focus on the stormy season?

Will you look forward to the spring and summer instead?