A new thing... and a hallelujah raised!

Isaiah 43:16-21

16 This is what the Lord says:

He who makes a way through the sea

And a path through the mighty waters,

17 Who brings out the chariot and the horse,

The army and the mighty man

(They will lie down together and not rise again;

They have been extinguished, and have gone out like a wick):

18 “Do not call to mind the former things,

Or consider things of the past.

19 Behold, I am going to do something new,

Now it will spring up;

Will you not be aware of it?

I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,

Rivers in the desert.

20 The animals of the field will glorify Me,

The jackals and the ostriches,

Because I have given waters in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert,

To give drink to My chosen people.

21 The people whom I formed for Myself

Will declare My praise.

This weekend we were ministering in the 'Groot Karoo' area, and we could once again experience how God made things new and gave us a new beginning in different areas of our lives.  It reminded me of this scripture which is a celebration of the might of our God.  He makes a way through the sea when we think it is impossible to cross and He destroys the power of the enemy chasing us.  Then He reminds us to not call to mind the former things.  Not even remembering the things of the past because it takes our focus back to the enemy's plans and destruction.  Instead, He reminds us to 'behold' - focus our gaze upon, look and keep looking, hold, lock our vision upon Him to see the new thing that He will bring about.

Last year in September we were also in the same area of the Karoo and it was incredibly dry.  Since then God has poured out his grace, in the form of rain, on the land and the people and we could really enjoy the new thing He had done in nature this weekend.  Truly there were rivers in the desert and animals in the field.  Nature was glorifying Him by growing with gusto and being as green as it could be, for He gave them waters in the wilderness and drink to His chosen people.  

Let us - who are the people whom He formed - declare His Praise for evermore for each new thing He is doing in our lives!

I raise a Halleluja