Happenings 16 August 2020

Do you feel like we've been here before?! How are you feeling as a result? Super-excited about the prospect of another lockdown (of uncertain duration)? Depressed? Frustrated? Peaceful? I'm not quite sure what I feel about it, but it is certainly more familiar ground than the first time we passed this way. It reminds me in some ways of the nation of Israel. Early on in their history, they were in bondage to the world super-power, serving as slaves for their pleasure of their masters. They were broken, desperate and crying out to God for help. He helped. Later on in their history, they were again in bondage to a new world super-power, serving as slaves for the pleasure of their masters. Again, they were broken, desperate and crying out to God for help. God sent them a message through the prophet Isaiah:
This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 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. The wild animals honour me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise (Isaiah 43:16-21). God's message? "Remember my faithfulness to you last time. I may do things differently this time, but it will simply be a new expression of my unchanging goodness towards you." So let's look to God for the new ways by which he will show his enduring love to us. Kia kaha, kia toa, kia manawanui.

In Him,
Murray