But Now It's Time To Begin Again

There’s a famous preacher who likes to tell the story of a well-researched, very erudite sermon he once gave.  He was inordinately proud of it and was waiting for the congregation’s response of praise.  Then one of his elders who had lost both his job and his marriage in a very short time, a man the pastor had been praying for on a daily basis, came up with his face wreathed in smiles and new energy. 

            “That sermon this morning has changed everything!  I know now that I can pick up and start over again.”

            “Really,” said the pastor.  “Can you tell me what it was that I said?” 

            “Sure.” said the elder.  “It was when you said “Now for my next point.”  Right then I knew that I needed to move forward to the next part of my life instead of focusing only on what I’d lost.” 

            So much for hours spent studying and struggling over every word in our sermons.  But that’s exactly how God starts His love song to the Jews in Isaiah 43:  ‘But now”  “But now” it is time to begin again.  “But now” it’s time to depend on me and my strength once more.

            And when we do this we will find that we are no longer alone even at our lonliest of times.  Listen to God speak to your heart.  Listen for His promise:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.  I have called you by name you are Mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.

And through the rivers, they shall not overtake you.

When you walk through fire you shall not be burned and the flame it shall not consume you.    

            There are two things of importance to notice:  First the bad news.  The life of faith is no fairytale where nothing bad will ever happen to you and you will never be discouraged or disappointed.  You will not live a charmed life from the moment you first believe.  That’s not God’s message.  He doesn’t even hint at that as a possibility. 

            Instead the Lord realizes that there will be hard, hard times you may think you will never recover from.  You see God doesn’t say If you pass through water; instead He says when the rivers overwhelm you.  It’s not if you walk through fire; it’s when. 

            But then comes the Good News.  We will not go through those times alone and they can not defeat us  because God is with us.  

            You see, God starts everything over again.  Whatever has gone before, has been swept away.  There’s a clear slate ready for a new beginning and the pain of the past is to be kept in the past --- not muddying up the present or tarnishing the future.

            Why would God give us this kind of fresh start?  He Himself gives the answer and what a wonderful answer it is: I do this “because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.”

            Think of it!  You are cherished by God. You bring the twinkle to His eye and your picture is stuck to heaven’s refrigerator door.  And instead of God pitying you or being ashamed of you, He honors you.  He pulls you out from the back of the crowd where you’d like to hide and says  No.  I want you up here, in front of everyone, right beside Me.   In His eyes the past truly is over and done for, and all that is left to say is “I love you”.   Begin again.