Isaiah 43:18–19– “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?

God spoke these words to people who could not yet see the future He was preparing.

Their situation seemed hopeless, but God reminded them not to judge the future by their current surroundings. He was creating a way forward and preparing for change. Something new was starting before they could even see it.

There are seasons when God’s work feels obvious. Doors open, prayers are answered, and growth is easy to recognise. At other times, the ground can appear dry and unchanged.

But an absence of visible movement does not mean an absence of God.

Expansion starts with learning to see. It means noticing where God is already present—in our church, our families, our communities, and in our own hearts. Before asking God for something new, we might first ask Him what He has already started.

“Do not call to mind the former things;

Israel’s escape from Egypt has always been a key example of God’s strength and promise. However, the Lord tells the exiles not to base their hope just on past events, whether good or bad. He is planning a new act of salvation that will be greater than what they have experienced, starting with their return from Babylon and leading to the salvation brought by Christ.

“If we are honest, the pressures of life can change our perception that we would have to ask God for forgiveness.”

Joshua Selman Nimmak