Behold, I Am Doing A New Thing | Isaiah 43:1-21 | May 17, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Through Waters and Flames

The disciples huddled behind locked doors, fear tightening their chests. Then Jesus stood among them, showing His scars. “Peace be with you,” He said, breathing the Holy Spirit into their trembling hearts. Just as Elizabeth Elliott clung to Isaiah 43 while grieving, Jesus meets us in our locked rooms of loss or uncertainty. His presence doesn’t remove the storm but anchors us within it. [47:02]

God never promises a life without floods or fires. He pledges His companionship in them. When Israel faced exile, God didn’t abandon them to Babylon’s chaos. He declared, “You are mine” – a claim stronger than any crisis. His scars prove He walks through pain with us, not around it.

What locked door are you staring at today? A health diagnosis? A broken relationship? Jesus doesn’t wait for you to “fix it” before entering. He steps through walls. Write down one fear you’ve been clutching. Then whisper His words: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.” What would change if you believed His presence is closer than your panic?

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
(Isaiah 43:2, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal His presence in your most suffocating storm.
Challenge: Write your fear on a scrap of paper and physically place it in your Bible’s Isaiah 43 page.

Day 2: Formed and Called By Name

God shaped Adam from dust, Ezekiel’s bones into an army, and Israel from Abraham’s barren wife. In Isaiah 43, He reminds exiles, “I created you” – not as mass-produced subjects, but as named children. Elizabeth’s daughter grew up fatherless in Ecuador, yet God whispered her name in the wilderness. [51:06]

Creation language isn’t about origins – it’s about ownership. A potter doesn’t abandon the clay he’s molded. When Israel chose idols, God didn’t disown them. He doubled down: “I formed you. I redeemed you. You are mine.” Your value isn’t based on performance but His purposeful hands.

How often do you define yourself by failures or others’ opinions? God calls you “Jacob” – the deceiver – yet still claims you. Today, replace one self-critical thought with His declaration: “You are mine.” Where in your life have you forgotten you’re handcrafted, not haphazard?

“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.’”
(Isaiah 43:1, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for three specific ways He’s shaped your story.
Challenge: Text someone their name followed by “—called and cherished by God.”

Day 3: Dry Ground in Deep Waters

Moses raised his staff, and the Red Sea became a highway. Israel crossed on dry ground, walls of water towering left and right. Centuries later, God promised exiles, “I’ll make a way through rivers” – not by avoiding chaos, but transforming it. [53:39]

The same God who parted seas walks with you through layoffs, grief, or addiction. Dry ground doesn’t mean easy terrain – it means traversable. Notice the verbs: “pass through,” not “camp in.” His faithfulness in the Red Sea wasn’t just rescue; it was rehearsal for future trust.

What “sea” overwhelms you? Financial debt? A child’s rebellion? List three past situations where God made a way. Keep this list visible. How might remembering yesterday’s miracles fuel today’s courage?

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.”
(Exodus 14:21-22, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one situation where you’ve doubted God’s path-making power.
Challenge: Draw a simple “sea parting” sketch as a reminder of God’s way-making.

Day 4: Witnesses, Not Jurors

God convenes a courtroom in Isaiah 43:9-12. Idols stand silent as He calls Israel: “You are my witnesses.” Not attorneys arguing a case, but testifiers to proven faithfulness. The Ecuadorian tribe saw Elizabeth’s persistent love and declared, “Their God is real.” [59:58]

Witnesses report facts, not theories. Your testimony isn’t about eloquence but evidence: “Here’s what God did.” When the early church witnessed, they simply recounted Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 4:20). Even scars became proof of His faithfulness.

Who needs to hear your “courtroom testimony” this week? A coworker? Your teenager? Write one sentence: “God helped me when…” How might your story point others to the Judge who’s also their Advocate?

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”
(Isaiah 43:10, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight someone needing your testimony today.
Challenge: Share a 60-second God-story with a cashier, neighbor, or family member.

Day 5: Streams in the Wasteland

Exile left Israel’s land cracked and lifeless. Yet God promised: “See, I am doing a new thing!... Streams in the wasteland.” Not a repaired version of the past, but an unprecedented work. The food pantry behind Pastor Neil isn’t just charity – it’s a desert stream for hungry souls. [01:12:03]

New things often start small – a trickle, not a tsunami. Men’s breakfasts grew from bacon to brotherhood. Baptism waters ripple through generations. God’s “new” isn’t about scale but surrender. He turned a cross into salvation, a tomb into triumph.

What barren place in your life is God irrigating? A strained marriage? A stagnant faith? Plant one seed of obedience today – a prayer, an apology, a “yes.” What might He grow from cracked ground you’ve deemed hopeless?

“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.”
(Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to open your eyes to one “new thing” He’s sprouting.
Challenge: Water a plant or lawn patch as a physical act of trust in God’s renewal.

Sermon Summary

We stand with people who have known deep loss and find our hope in the voice of God that refuses to abandon us. The text calls us back to the Maker who formed us, who names us, and who promises presence in the waters and fire of life. Rather than offering a quick fix, God walks through suffering with us, reminding us that redemption often comes through endurance and faithful staying. The memory of God’s past rescue, like the Red Sea, grounds our confidence: God has acted before and will act again to deliver and to re-form a people for his glory.

This passage puts the false gods on trial and reasserts God’s unique claim as Savior. Idols made by human hands cannot save; only the Creator can redeem and shape a future. That courtroom language calls us to remember not only God’s power but his faithfulness to witness through our lives. Our transformed lives become the evidence that draws others toward the life God offers.

God calls us out of a backward posture. Forgetting former things does not mean erasing memory; it means refusing to be captive to past failures, and instead pressing forward into the new work God is doing. The text invites active forward movement: we must perceive the new path God opens in wilderness places and step toward streams in wastelands. Practically, that looks like taking next steps of obedience, forming spiritual rhythms, and offering tangible witness in our circles.

Finally, the assembly receives concrete invitations: to pray, to send, to baptize, and to settle into the work of community. God’s new thing often grows through ordinary acts of faithfulness—gathering, teaching, hospitality, and commissioning people to serve. We embrace a posture of steady commitment, asking God to do a transforming work in our neighborhoods, cities, and nation as we live as witnesses to the one true Savior.

Key Takeaways

1. God accompanies us in suffering When God promises to be with us in the waters and the fire, the promise shifts the shape of our suffering from abandonment to companionship. Presence does not always equal immediate removal of pain, but it reframes suffering as a context for God’s redemptive work. Holding this truth helps us walk toward others with patience and with hope that God can use our wounds for witness and healing. [47:02]
2. Do not dwell on the past Forgetting former things is an invitation to stop letting past failures dictate our future trajectory. The command to stop dwelling asks us to reorient our memory toward God’s pattern of redemption so that regret no longer paralyzes action. This is a disciplined hope: we remember God’s mercy and then press forward to participate in what he is doing next. [72:03]
3. Witness transforms the watching world Our lives function as courtroom testimony to the reality of the Creator who saves and shapes people. Genuine witness arises from visible change over time, not polished words, and attracts people precisely because transformation looks costly and credible. When we live consistently as evidence of grace, others begin to long for the source of that change. [66:16]
4. God is doing a new thing God declares creative renewal in the wilderness and streams in wastelands, calling us to perceive and join that action. The new thing reshapes identity and mission: we become participants in God’s forward-moving story rather than relics of a past season. Expectation and attention matter; God asks us to open our spiritual eyes to recognize the pathways he makes. [74:13]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[45:43] - Elliott story and sacrifice
[47:02] - God with us in suffering
[49:48] - Isaiah 43 overview
[51:34] - Reading Isaiah 43 aloud
[53:39] - Remembering the Red Sea rescue
[60:54] - God on trial against idols
[65:24] - Witness and testimony explained
[72:03] - Forget former things; new thing
[79:11] - Baptism and camp invitations
[85:27] - Settling and committing here
[93:53] - Commissioning Elena for camp

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Isaiah 43:1-3, 18-19 (NIV)
But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. [...] 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.”

Observation Questions

In Isaiah 43:1-3, what specific promises does God make to His people about their struggles? How does He describe His role in their lives?
The sermon mentions Elizabeth Elliott’s choice to stay in Ecuador after her husband’s death as an example of trusting God’s presence in suffering. What specific Scripture did she cling to during that time? [47:02]
Isaiah 43:18-19 uses the imagery of “streams in the wasteland.” What contrast does this create, and why might God use wilderness/wasteland language to describe His new work?
How does God frame His courtroom argument against idols in Isaiah 43:9-12? What evidence does He present to prove His uniqueness?

Interpretation Questions

Why does God repeatedly emphasize His role as Creator and Redeemer in Isaiah 43? How might this address the fears or doubts of people facing exile or suffering?
The sermon compares dwelling on the past to “driving using the rearview mirror” [13:21]. How does Isaiah 43:18-19 redefine what it means to remember God’s faithfulness without being trapped by past failures?
In the courtroom scene (Isaiah 43:9-12), God calls His people to be His “witnesses.” What does this imply about the relationship between personal transformation and public testimony?
The phrase “I am doing a new thing” is both a promise and a challenge. What might make it difficult for people to “perceive” or trust this new work?

Application Questions

When facing a current struggle, how could the promise “I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2) reshape your perspective? What practical step could you take this week to lean into that truth?
The sermon challenges believers to “forgive yourself [and] move forward” if past failures weigh you down [16:07]. What regret or shame have you allowed to define you? How might releasing it free you to join God’s “new thing”?
Being a “witness” involves visible transformation. What area of your life (e.g., patience, generosity, joy) could most clearly point others to God’s power? How could you cultivate that trait?
The sermon encourages “settling” in community as an act of faithfulness [25:27]. What ordinary act (e.g., hospitality, prayer, serving) could you commit to consistently to help others see God’s work?
God’s “new thing” often starts small, like streams in a wasteland. Where do you sense God quietly at work in your family, workplace, or neighborhood? How could you join Him there?

Sermon Clips

When we have seen God faithful in the past, it makes us wanna be a witness for him. If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, God has forgiven your past sins. You don't have to dwell on him anymore. You can move forward in freedom. You can walk forward in new life in him. God already said it. I'm doing a new thing. Some of you, you've asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins. He forgives you. Forgive yourself. Move forward. Don't let that weight hold you down. [01:15:37] (35 seconds) #ForgivenAndFree

When God does something new in our life, he doesn't want us to drive through the rearview mirror. In case you missed it, whether you like it or not, God is doing a new thing. He says it. He says, see, I'm doing a new new thing. And then he asks you and I a question. He says, do you perceive it? Are you looking for it? Are your spiritual eyes open to see what's going on? Or do you just wanna keep living the same old life that you've been living? [01:14:26] (32 seconds) #PerceiveTheNew

God says, I haven't forgotten you. If you look at it in verse 11, he says, I'm the only god. I am the savior. God is very clear that he is the only god. And the false idols, that's what they are. They're false. I was actually thinking about this this week. I thought it it's so interesting that people make a god out of wood, stone, or precious metal, and they worship something they fashioned with their own hands. It's so contrary because god says, I am the one who fashioned you. [01:01:48] (35 seconds) #OnlyOneTrueGod

And god says, my ability to save is at stake, that I am the one and only true god. When you think of Israel understanding this from a state where they are in exile, they have been conquered. They have been defeated. And God says, I wanna show you that I haven't been defeated. There are times in our life that we question God's ability to save us. There's times in our life, and and this maybe has happened to you, that your your life was struggling, and you gave your life to Christ, and you thought it's gonna get better. [01:02:53] (38 seconds) #GodStillSaves

When we look at these verses, when we look at what God is saying, this isn't just flippant comments that God is saying. Israel abandoned him, and he doesn't treat him like a five year old. He says, okay. You abandoned me. Alright. I still love you. I'm the one who formed you. I'm the one who created you. Maybe you're here today because you abandoned god a long time ago, and I just want you to know god has never abandoned you. Maybe you walked away from god, but god hasn't walked away from you. [00:58:01] (36 seconds) #GodNeverLeft

Too often, we allow ourself to be shaped by our past. We allow the fears of our past to dictate what God wants to do in our future, and we forget those things. And God says, I want you to be my I want you to be my faithful witnesses. He says, don't dwell on the past anymore. He's not telling Israel to forget him. He's not telling them to forget the law. He's not telling them to forget the great things that he's done. He's saying, don't dwell on the past anymore. He says, the future that I have for you is better. [01:11:59] (36 seconds) #FutureOverPast

And I just need you to know this. People know right now that you're here at church, and throughout the week, they're watching your life. You're like, that's creepy. I know. Super creepy. But they're watching your life, and they're asking themself, is God evident in the life of that person? Is that person's life transformed because of what God is doing? People are saying, you go to church on Sunday for an hour and fifteen minutes. That's what we try to keep our service to. Is it worth it? They wanna see. Can we be a witness for God? [01:06:05] (41 seconds) #LiveOutFaith

And so you and I read the words, but now, and if we're fearful, we anticipate that God is gonna abandon his people. They've abandoned him. Why wouldn't God just act the same way? If God were a vengeful God, that's what he would do. But he speaks those words, but now, and he does it in this loving, caring, compassionate way. He says, but now, I want you to know I'm the one who formed you. But now, I want you to know that I'm the one who created you. [00:50:35] (31 seconds) #ButNowGod

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