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What a week this is and will be. I get to preach on Sunday and just today (Wednesday), the one and only Derrick Scott asked me if I wanted to cover the blog for this week. Not that what I’ll write will compete with the weekly genius that Ben, or Derrick, bring us, but I’ll give it my best. A little while back I was discussing some aspects of Christian theology with someone I absolutely love but we often disagree a bit on some Christian theology. During the conversation (online) we got to talking about new understandings and interpretations of the Scriptures. She eventually quoted Hebrews 13 to me: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:6)
As kindly as I could I responded with Isaiah:
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19; technically I just quoted the first part of the verse, I don’t have the rest memorized) As you can probably tell, we didn’t make much headway and agreed to disagree. Choosing to be loving and graceful often leaves for friendlier future conversations (I’ve found this out the hard way). I returned to this Isaiah passage again just a few days ago, on New Year's Eve. I tend towards reflection during the holidays and, like many of us, find myself thinking over the previous year and considering what lies ahead in the new year. Now, I don’t know about you, but 2023 was a tough year, not necessarily a bad year, but a tough one. There was some real stress, sadness, heartache, and loss along the way and I shed more than a few tears. As I reflected, I thought “There were a lot of good things that happened as well, but man, I hope 2024 gives us all a little break because that was not easy.”
But that may not be likely, right? As our pastor pointed out just two weeks ago, it’s an election year and there’s no indication that this one will be any less contentious than the previous. Past that, people we know and love will be hurt by something. We will face loss. We will face heartache. Struggle and hurt tend to be real parts of our lives. And the worst thing is that I, we, don’t have control over any of it.
Or maybe that’s the best part. I’m not sure anyone would want me to be in charge anyway. And so I come back to Isaiah 43. Behold, God is doing something new. And I want to live into that reality this year. I want to cling to that hope despite what I may see or experience. Because there’s something beautiful and exciting about a God that is at work, doing something rooted in love, grace, creativity, and justice. And when I look back over this last, tough year, I can see it everywhere. I can see the big and little ways that God did new things in my life and in the lives of people all around me. And my circumstances didn’t dictate the reality of that work God was doing. Sometimes it coincided with good times, sometimes it happened in the lowest moments. God is doing something new. With me, with you, with us. And maybe, just maybe, in this coming year, God will dazzle us with new things. That is enough to give me hope for this year. I hope that it gives you hope as well. Grace and peace to you. Bryan Amerling
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