A DEVOTIONAL ON MALAYSIAN CARE’S THEME VERSE 2022
“See I am Doing A New Thing!” (Isaiah 43:19)
Read Isaiah 43:16-21
This passage from the book of Isaiah was written when Judah was suffering under Babylonian rule. Physically, economically, culturally, and religiously, the people felt the might of Babylon, and it seems that one of the tasks of the prophet Isaiah was to rebuild the people’s understanding of themselves as God’s own people and to reassure them that their God was fully capable of taking on the Babylonian superpower in order to save them. We see this reflected in verse 16 as God is described as the Lord “who made a way through the sea, drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements… never to rise again.”
The similarities between Isaiah 43:16-17 and the description of the miraculous rescue of the people at the sea in Exodus 14 and 15 strongly suggest that the prophet is invoking their cultural memory of that dramatic story of redemption from Egypt. However it wasn’t enough to remember the good old days but to focus on building a future. Isaiah 43 compels us to view our experience of God’s grace in the past as a springboard so that we view neither present nor future with fear, but with expectation.
“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?”
In a seemingly hopeless situation, the prophet calls on the people not to lose heart but to look with anticipation for the signs of God’s approaching redemption, for the “new thing” that is coming. Even the wild animals that live there are amazed at the marvelous deeds of this God who “gives water in the wilderness.” (v 20).
I am reminded of the poem “A Homecoming” by Wendell Berry:
“…In the trust of old love, cultivation shows
a dark and graceful wilderness
at its heart. Wild
in that wilderness, we roam
the distance of our faith;
safe beyond the bounds
of what we know. O love,
open. Show me
my country. Take me home.”
“Safe beyond the bounds of what we know” is as apt a description of a faith journey as any I have heard. In times of uncertainty and fear, Isaiah 43 urges us to be alert for the signs of God’s continued presence, working to sustain and redeem it even to this day.
Discussion Questions
Observe – What new things do you see God doing around you?
Reflect – What does this new thing mean to you?
Practice – How can it apply to your life and ministry?
Prayer Points
Yourself – Pray for hope and resilience
People around you – Pray for those affected by the pandemic that they will be comforted
Nation – Pray for our leaders to uphold justice and good governance
Author Acknowledgement: This bible study is adapted from “Commentary on Isaiah 43:16-21” by Callie Plunket-Brewton
An Introduction to Malaysian CARE and Why We Do What We Do
Why do we do what we do? That is what the devotional aims to answer. As a Christian social concern agency, Malaysian CARE draws inspiration and strength from the Bible to guide its work in its 40-year existence. Our vision, to be the visible expression of the wholistic mission of Christ to the poor and needy, is rooted in the foundation of our faith. Therefore, these devotionals are one way for us to learn the
values of Jesus and how our faith relates to society.
By studying Scripture, we can understand our role in empowering communities, as we work together as one body of Christ in finding hope during times of despair. The devotionals are based on the four key empowerment areas of Malaysian CARE. They are not meant to be exhaustive but to give a brief overview of the work.
- Economic Empowerment
- Child Empowerment
- Youth Empowerment
- Social Empowerment
INTEGRAL MISSION
Integral mission or wholistic transformation is the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel. As in the life of Jesus, being, doing and saying are at the heart of our integral task. We get a clear picture of what this means when Jesus sent out the twelve disciples. At the core of his instructions was a two-fold mission: “As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” (Matthew 10:7-8).
Word and works are meant to be together. We are told that he died, not just for the forgiveness of sins, but for the redeeming of the entire creation, to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, and bring all things together under him. The work of Christ on the cross has far-reaching social and cosmic consequences (Rom 8:19-22, Col 1:20, Eph 1:9-10). God by his grace has given local churches the task of integral mission. Therefore the future of integral mission is in planting and enabling local churches to transform the communities of which they are part. Churches as caring and inclusive communities are at the heart of what it means to do integral mission.
This is a segment from the first of a 4-part devotional by Malaysian CARE, divided into the 4 components of economic, child, youth, and social empowerment. Request for the full devotional of the first component (Economic Empowerment) at https://www.malaysiancare.org/devotional-series Watch the preview of Malaysian CARE’s new sermon videos to hear what CARE and Christians around our nation have been doing in light of the “new norm” https://www.malaysiancare.org/video-sermon
Malaysian CARE is a non-profit Christian NGO established in Malaysia in 1979, committed to serving the poor and needy irrespective of religion and ethnicity. They focus on empowering communities, aim for long-term sustainable development, and see themselves as partners to the local church and the people they are serving. Find out more about them on https://malaysiancare.org/
This devotional was kindly contributed by Malaysian CARE.
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