“Thus says the Lord….Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
Being prepared is something I think about every morning when I select clothes for the day. I want to be formal enough for meetings yet comfortable enough for heavy lifting, professional enough for the office yet casual enough for dinner with friends. I want to be prepared to take advantage of any opportunity to engage more fully with my neighbors and all of God’s creation.
Yet, God does not ask “Are you prepared?” God asks about perception. Preparations won’t matter if I don’t see opportunities to act.
Today, Isaiah invites you to pay attention to the unexpected, to perceive the new thing God is doing and to respond as much as you prepare. God is about to do a new thing. Do you not perceive it?
This message is adapted from”Do you not perceive it?” written by Emma Crossen for the March 2013 issue of Interchange.