I will do a New Thing in You

DesertLent
March 7, 2016

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21

I am about to do 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.
The wild animals will honor me,
   the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
   rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
   the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise. –43:19-21

It might be fun to have a contest to see who could name the most songs or book titles with roots in this scripture, perhaps not all directly from this translation. I attended a conference several years ago sponsored by the Children’s Defense Fund regarding justice for children where I first heard I Will do a New Thing in You*. It began as an African American hymn. I was privileged to learn it at a time when I felt rather worn out and stale. For some time, I kept a copy of the words taped to my bathroom mirror. We are always blessed when we share in the diversity of ways to worship God in unity as one.

Rivers in the desert is also a very familiar phrase that seems to fit our times. We thirst for the ways of a loving God in a land left like earth split in octagonal section from lack of nurturing rain. I saw pictures on the evening news yesterday of a southwestern American desert, missed the name, that usually doesn’t get more than a half an inch of rain a year. It had received about three time that much recently and as a result was carpeted with several varieties of flowers. The pictures were breathtaking.

The healing of our divisions and of our dried out souls is just a pray’s width away. God has not forgotten us, we have not exceeded our portion of forgiveness, we can do a new thing.

Prayer: Lord we welcome your rivers of love and forgiveness, hope and energy for the work you are calling us to do as a new thing. Amen.

*http://www.hymnary.org/hymn/AAHH2001/568

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.