God is Doing a New Thing

In Isaiah… God gave the Israelite's an opportunity to go back to Jerusalem. For the most part… they were 2^nd generation Hebrews who were the kin of those who were exiled to Babylon some 70 years before. Some of them were pretty comfortable in their new surroundings… They had built a life and were not going anywhere.

However... some could see this new thing God was going to do. It was going to be a new way of life with God. You see… those that were exiled were not faithful to God… thus Jerusalem was destroyed. The people were told to forget the past mistakes of their kin and to be faithful and God would create something new.

So… some went… what about you… Do you see this new thing God is creating?

What do you see?

Isa. 43:18-19 is a favorite passage of mine. God shouts out... "Forget about the past, I'm creating something new, There it is... Do You see it?

I share this as I begin a new venture at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Royal Oak, Mi. as an Intentional Transition Pastor. The bulk of my work with congregations as I've shared previously is to help congregations may pastoral and ministry transitions. In other words... I help congregations or as I like to call them "Faith Communities" CHANGE! And we all know how we all love that word... CHANGE.

At my previous call, Cana Lutheran, Berkley, Mi. uncertainty, anxiousness, hurt, and change all played a role in what now is a new creation. We were able to work through all those things and come out with a new understanding of ministry and mission to the community. They have a clearer sense of who they are and what their mission to the community is. In fact... they have a stronger foundation from which to build off from than previously. I believe I can say with certainty... God is going to do some amazing things with Cana in the future. 

Now I begin work with another faith community at Good Shepherd. I'm excited about entering into what God will do with them. They are anxious, grieving, and generally wondering what's going to happen over the next several months. It's to be expected... their long time pastoral leader retired and now they have to look at themselves and say, "What Now" and that's why I'm there. To help them discover the "What Now" in their ministry.

It won't be easy because CHANGE is coming and many people... especially people in the church... don't like change. But it's coming whether they like it or not. I won't make them change... but they will all on their own... Why? because First... I'm not their former pastor. I am who I am... that being much different from their former pastor just because I'm me! 

Secondly... it's a new day and things have changed from yesterday. In fact... life changes everyday and so we make changes if not daily... many times a week. Change just is... 

Lastly... it's an opportunity to look at the way we've always done it and do it different'y in the future. It's also an opportunity to look at ourselves and how we can as God's people have greater impact in our community. Most importantly... it is an opportunity to strengthen our faith and make new commitments to being a disciple of Jesus.

Like the Israelite's back in Isiah's time God is giving them an opportunity to forget about the past and to do a new thing. And in the end... God will do some amazing things with them and through them.

Now it's time for a transition to take place. A time to let go of the past. A time to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit. A time to open our hearts and minds to the Word of God. And a time to create something new... 

It sort of reminds me of the song from the "Byrds" "Turn Turn..."

My new friends at Good Shepherd... 

Do YOU see it?  

Quote from the writings of Martyred Arch-bishop of El Salvador Oscar Romero which seems appropriate... 

“We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This empowers us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.”