When God Does a New Thing

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 43:18–19 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I AM doing a new thing; now it springs forth; do ye not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 43:18–19 speaks tenderly, but firmly, to hearts that have learned how to survive by looking backward. God is not scolding His people for remembering, He’s rescuing them from becoming trapped by memory. There’s a difference between remembering God’s faithfulness and living there. One fuels faith; the other can quietly limit it. When the past becomes the measure of what we believe God is willing or able to do now, faith slowly turns into nostalgia.

“Remember not the former things” is not a command to forget deliverance, but a call to stop using yesterday’s miracles as today’s ceiling. Israel had seen seas part and manna fall, yet here they were—exhausted, displaced, unsure. God knew the temptation: If He doesn’t act the way He did before, maybe He won’t act at all. So He interrupts that thinking with a bold declaration: “Behold, I AM doing a new thing.”

Notice who is doing the new thing. Not Israel. Not improved circumstances. Not better planning. I AM. The same God who revealed Himself to Moses, who delivered from Egypt, who sustained through failure and wandering, now declares ongoing, present action. God’s name reminds us that He is not bound to timelines or methods. He does not repeat Himself out of habit, but reveals Himself with perfect intention. Grace is never recycled. It is freshly applied.

Then comes the most challenging question in the passage: “Do ye not perceive it?” God isn’t questioning His power; He’s questioning our vision. Often the new thing does not announce itself with trumpets. It begins beneath the surface—quiet resolve, renewed conviction, a subtle shift of trust. We may miss it if we are staring too long at what used to be, or replaying what went wrong. Spiritual perception requires presence. God works now. Faith must live there too.

The promise deepens with vivid imagery: “I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” God doesn’t deny the wilderness. He names it. He doesn’t shame the desert. He enters it. The wilderness is where direction is unclear. The desert is where resources are gone. These are not ideal places, but they’re exactly where God specializes in revealing Himself. He doesn’t always remove hard terrain; He transforms it. A way means guidance. Rivers mean sustenance. Both mean life where life should not exist.

This passage also carries a quiet warning wrapped in hope: don’t wait for conditions to improve before trusting God. The way appears in the wilderness, not after it. The river flows in the desert, not once the sand is gone. God’s work is not delayed until circumstances cooperate. He acts while we are still unsure, still tired, still learning to trust again.

Ultimately, Isaiah 43:18–19 invites a posture shift. Loosen your grip on what was. Release both pride and regret. Lift your eyes to what God is unfolding now. He is ahead of you, already at work in places you have labeled impossible. And when He does a new thing, it will always lead you closer to Him, not merely to comfort.

Reflection Questions:

1. What “former things” might be shaping your expectations of God more than His present promises?
2. Where in your life might God already be working quietly, even if you don’t fully see it yet?
3. How do you usually respond when God’s way forward looks unfamiliar or uncomfortable?
4. What would it look like to trust God in your current wilderness rather than waiting to escape it?

Prayer Prompt:
Lord, I confess that I often cling to the past—both its victories and its wounds. Teach me to perceive what You are doing now. Sharpen my spiritual vision and soften my grip on what no longer serves faith. Make a way where I see none. Let rivers of grace flow through the dry places of my heart. I choose to trust You in this season, believing that You are already at work ahead of me. Amen.

If this devotional stirred your heart to follow Christ more closely and to walk with purpose, take the next step in His Word—“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:11). Keep your eyes on Jesus and let Scripture dwell richly in you day by day.

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