2020 – 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting
Forget About It

16 “I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. 17 I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. 18 But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” Isaiah 43:15-20 (NLT)

Isaiah 43:19 is a scripture that is beloved by many and for very good reason. It is a beautiful promise that God is making to His people and is one that, I believe, we should hold tight to for our lives as well. However, the question this scripture ends with has always put a slight bit of fear in my heart. “Do you not see it?”

I never want to be the man who is begging God for a blessing that I have already received but cannot see, because I am focusing on the wrong things. My bad past, my shame, my mistakes, my offenses–these are all things that I can focus on that can keep me from perceiving God’s blessings. However, when God says, “forget all of that,” He is not referencing those negative things. In fact, if you look back at the scripture, everything He is referencing seems to be very positive things! So why would God be telling them to forget about those positive things and, in turn, also telling us to do the same thing in our lives?

I believe we should always give God honor for what He has done in our past, but the trap comes from believing that He is going to work the exact same way in our present and in our future. I’m not saying that won’t ever happen, but what I am saying is that sometimes we can miss what God is doing in our present because we are expecting Him to do it the exact same way He did it last time.

Don’t let God’s blessings from yesterday keep you from seeing His blessings today!

Lord, we know that You are the God who is, who was, and who is to come. Let this 21- days of prayer and fasting be a catalyst for shifting our focus to what You are doing right now and may the seeds that we are planting today turn into a harvest of closeness with You and the ones we love in our lives. Thank You for being Emmanuel, God who is always with us in every moment. We love You! In Jesus’ name. Amen!