Rivers in the Desert

Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18-19

This is a curious passage, which comes after a recitation of the works of Yahweh in the former times. The reminder of what Yahweh has done for Israel in the past is more about who Yahweh is rather than what Yahweh has done. Yahweh is redeemer.

Isaiah encourages the people to focus on God rather than circumstances, to look to redemption rather than a repeat performance of the exodus.

God is about to do a brand new thing—something, which goes beyond the expectations or even hopes of the people. The prophet tells the people to put aside what they have known so that they can experience the remarkable work of God. God is going to bring them home.

We have a tendency to be just like the people in exile, don’t we? Our hopes are so often explicit that we don’t even perceive the grace that God is pouring into our lives. We can’t let go of our attachments long enough to let our imaginations be inspired by the wonder of God.

Throughout the Old Testament, Israel moves from captivity to freedom and then back again.

This is our journey as well. We become captive to our fears and even to our hopes. We settle for a lesser vision rather than opening to God’s vision.

And yet, we too, have moments of freedom.

We are surprised by an unexpected kindness. We are moved to do something for another that we never thought possible.

Once again, we are reminded that the goal of the spiritual life is freedom, especially freedom from the false self that keeps us captive. Freedom invites us into a broad life rather than a narrow existence. Freedom in God invites us to spread our wings and ride on the winds of the Spirit.

The prophet said:

God guides the redeemed through a narrow way

into the broad road,

so that they come into the wide and broad place;

that is to say, into true freedom of the spirit,

when one has become a spirit with God.

Meister Eckhart

Blessings,

Debra