New Things. That was the big jump word I received from God at the start of year 2020. I thought the new things were simple and straight-forward. I accepted a big new assignment in the church. I enjoined the volunteers in our church that we needed to be ready for new things. New ways of doing old things. Then there were new projects at work. Got myself new notebooks to journal more jump words this year. On the 1st page, I scribbled: This will be an interesting 2020!
Now who would’ve thought that this year is indeed going to be very different! A little over seven months have already passed and there have been a lot of new things happening. This global new normal because of the corona virus. Everyone is going through new experiences. A lot of us are new with the work from home setup. I admit I am still struggling with the new adjustments to such new setups. When doors close, there are new opportunities that open up. New learnings. New realizations. New teachings. New adventures. New normal. Mind you, not all things new are nice and easy. A lot of these new things are also hard for the body, and for the mind, and even harder for the heart. Yet, there are new blessings that abound!
Early on I held on to Isaiah 43:18-19, “Stop dwelling on the past. Don’t even remember these former things. I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now it sprouts and grows and matures. Don’t you perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams in the desert. Other versions of Isaiah 43:18-19 start with, “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.” Seriously, like all these new normal things are hard to deal with, yeah? And we’d gladly choose to get back to the old ways. But God’s Word is telling us to forget all that, or stop dwelling on the past. God is doing something brand new, something unheard of. Because His ways are way different than ours. And His way of thinking and of doing things is new! Yet, with all these happening around us, we may hear ourselves say, “Ang hirap naman ng situation namin, Lord!” We get anxious. We worry. Or become pressed out (pressured + stressed = pressed out) just thinking of how to get going with all the new circumstances each day. But you know what? It’s all good. It will all work out together for good. God is saying to us, He can make the impossible possible. Only God can make a way in the wild places. Only He can create rivers in the desert. Walang mahirap or walang imposible para sa Lord diba? That’s why He is God!
But God's Word is telling us to forget all that, or stop dwelling on the past. God is doing something brand new, something unheard of. Because His ways are way different than ours. And His way of thinking and of doing things is new!
In this global pandemic situation we are all in, let us embrace the new things by God’s grace. The new priorities. New endeavours. In Revelation 21:5, ” And God-Enthroned spoke to me and said, “Consider this! I am making everything to be new and fresh. Write down at once all that I have told you, because each word is trustworthy and dependable.” I take it to heart that this new instruction for me is to write down at once His jump words. So that whoever has access to this DBTG website all over the world can be encouraged somehow. To trust in His Words. To depend on God’s promises in the gospel. With courage and confidence coming from God, I know we can get through. Cherish the new things. It is all part of God’s great big plan for us!
