Isaiah reminds the Israelites (and us) that our God is a good and gracious God who is at work. He is making all things new. If our eyes are too focused on the past, we will miss what He is doing. God asks the question in this passage, “will you be aware of it?” as if to ask, “will you even notice when I do something amazing? Will you see it? Will you watch for it? Or will you be so distracted that you will miss it?” 

As we move into a new year, I believe that God is asking us the same question. Let’s face it, the past few years have been a doozy and we are all metaphorically holding our breath, praying that 2022 will be better. We’re praying that covid will go away. We’re praying that the economy will improve, gas prices will go back down, and the financial markets will stabilize. We’re praying for a diagnosis to be good and health problems to be healed. We’re praying for relationships to be restored and loneliness to abate. We’re praying that this year will be a year of plenty, one that leaves us feeling more rested than tired and more encouraged than worn thin.  

But if we’re being honest, there is a lot of fear in us too. There is fear that this year could be worse than before, but that is not where God wants us to live. Like the Israelites that Isaiah wrote to, we have a choice to make. We can either be fearful of the future or look back at the past with regret. We can be distracted by what has come and worried about what might come. Or, we can rest in the faithfulness of God, fixing our eyes and our hearts on Him. 

See, the truth is that every year brings with it good and bad, hardship and blessings. Some years are harder than others for sure, but no matter what changes from year to year, our God is always faithful. He remains the same today, tomorrow, and for all of eternity. His goodness and His faithfulness do not waiver with the times. His promises are just as true today as they were six thousand years ago and as they will be six thousand years from now.  

And He has not forgotten us. He is actively at work, moving and interacting with His creation to bring about His perfect will. He is making a way in our deserts. He is splitting seas and moving mountains. He is the God who moves, the God who blesses, the God who does great things. He always will be.  

So, as we look forward to 2022, let’s make the choice, right now, right here, to be on the lookout for all that God will do! Let’s choose not to be distracted by the past or worried about the future. Let’s look to the new year with hope and expectation for all the ways God is going to show up. He never promises that we won’t struggle or that things won’t be hard, but He promises that He will be in it with us. He promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He promises that everything we go through will be for our eternal good.  

He has been faithful for all of history. He will continue to be faithful in 2022. So, we can walk into this new year with confidence and faith because God is good, and He is making the way!