Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Former Things: A Kingdom Meditation for Sunday, December 15, 2019

Every one of us has bad memories.

Every one of us has regrets.

Some people simply move on and are seldom burdened by these dark thoughts. Others are debilitated by them. These old regrets come back to mind frequently and even disturb their sleep. They feel as if somewhere in their past they took a wrong turn, and there's no going back.

This is true hopelessness. This is a kind of mental prison. A pathless wood.

But the message of the New Testament is that a light has shined in the darkness, the Lord has provided a way, just as the ancient prophets like Isaiah said he would.
Behold, I am doing 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. [Isaiah 43:19]
 From the very start of his earthly ministry, Jesus was proclaiming this new thing. This was the good news.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. {Luke 4:18-19, Jesus quoting Isaiah 61:1-2]
For behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.  [Isaiah 65:16]
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. [Rev. 21:4] 
Jesus comes to open the cell door of those locked in the prison of regret. This is the good news of the Kingdom. Even now the "things to come" of the Kingdom are gaining ground in our minds against the "former things" of our past. Jesus would have us turn our thoughts from former things, from dead things, from old hurts and deeds done in darkness, and turn them instead to the things of His Kingdom. He is doing a new thing. Do you not see it!

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