Word Among Us

4th Week of Lent

Daily Meditation: Isaiah 65:17-21

The things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. (Isaiah 65:17)

Today’s first reading comes from a time of restoration and rebuilding for the Israelites. After years in exile, the people have returned to their land. Now the Lord promises that he will “create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight” (Isaiah 65:19). He even promises to “create new heavens and a new earth” for them (65:17)!

These are astonishing words, given the many instances of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Up to this point, God’s people have made so many compromises for the sake of worldly gain that they had fallen into the sin of idolatry. Yet the Lord is willing to blot out every sin from their past, restore them to their land, and rebuild their Temple. It strains the imagination, so great is his mercy toward them.

This passage reveals an amazing truth about our God: he is willing to forgive—and forget—even the gravest of sins! Yet, try as we may, we often hold on to our memories and our guilt over past wrongdoing—even after we have repented. This can be a huge obstacle to receiving the free gift of God’s mercy.

If this is something you struggle with, ask yourself: Why is God so willing to forget the past and wipe the slate clean? And why does he want to turn the page and begin a new chapter with us? The answer is that he deeply desires a relationship with us. Because he wants to be close to you, he is willing to forgive and forget all your sins, no matter what you have done in the past—or even what you will do in the future!

If God chooses not to focus on your past, why should you? Just as the Lord was eager to begin again with the Israelites, so he is with you. So let today be a new day—free from the pain of the past—to drink from the deep well of God’s endless love and mercy!

“Lord God, give me the grace to put the past behind me so that my relationship with you can only deepen.”

Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13
John 4:43-54