Isaiah 43:18–19, Contemporary English Version
‘I am creating something new. There it is! Do you see it? I have put roads in deserts, streams in thirsty lands.’
A new way for you
Sometimes yesterday takes up all the room in your life. You think about someone you miss, a relationship that ended, or a choice you regret. Perhaps you carry worries no one else can see. When someone says, “Just make a fresh start,” you may feel misunderstood. How do you begin when the road ahead seems to have disappeared? Isaiah’s words first came to people who knew that feeling.
In the full passage, Isaiah 43:18–19 (CEV), God also tells his people not to remain focused on the past. His promise offers a way forward where no way seems possible.
Hope then and now
This promise first came to Israelites living in exile, far from their homeland. They had lost the life they knew and could not see how they would get home. A road through the desert gave them hope of returning. Streams in dry land pictured life where they least expected it.
Perhaps you recognise that longing. Hope sometimes begins with something small: a neighbour knocking on your door, a conversation over a community meal, or someone at church listening while you say how you really are. None of this makes grief disappear at once. But you do not have to carry it alone.
Final thought
You do not have to put your life in order before coming to Jesus. Tell him honestly what you miss and what frightens you. You may not see the whole road yet. You can begin with one prayer: “Jesus, help me see the next step.” Who could walk part of that road with you today?