Making Room for New!

I AM NOT a careless person. I don't just lose things. In fact, I'm overly cognizant of the "stuff" I have. Carefully and thoughtfully, I give everything its particular place so I'll always know how to get to what I need. That kind of order is necessary for me. This week, though, I was shipwrecked! Distracted and overwhelmed with a non-stop schedule, I managed to lose my little Praise Movement boom box that I sometimes carry to off-site rehearsals (I think it was taken), and I lost my make up bag. COMPLETELY unnerving for me because like I said, I don't just lose stuff! I honestly felt a little stripped and vulnerable. I felt "played" because I ALWAYS know where my things are. And if I move them...if I move ANYTHING...it's not long before it's back "at home". After searching every place I'd been, over and over, AND asking around for that little make up bag, I heard the Holy Spirit speak loud and clear. He said, "I'm just making room for NEW!"

I thought, "Whaaaaat?!?!"

Then I sat still for a moment, replaying in my mind the things that He and I have been talking about in prayer, and I shut that make up bag search right on down! There was no need to look for it anymore. I WAS NOT going to find it. God had spoken. "The old is gone, and the new is coming! Stand ready!"

God's promise in Isaiah 43:18-19 began to play in my head. "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?"

And I love how He speaks to the figurative thinker in me. The last thing on my mind was a new radio or make up bag when I heard Him say new. Child, I can go and buy that tomorrow if I want to! *rolls neck* But His idea of new is change in position and/or stature, and change of seasons in my life!

New is defined as unfamiliar, and existing or appearing FOR THE FIRST TIME. That means I'm about to see things happening in my life that I've NEVER seen before and it's HIS doing! He said HE'S making room for new. HE's removing old things and replacing them with new. I don't even need to be concerned about what was, because it's GONE!

I remember back in high school when I'd get a new pair of tennis shoes/sneakers. My old ones weren't completely worn out because I took good care of my shoes, but just knowing I had new ones--the knowing alone--was enough for me to act like the other ones no longer existed. I wore them NO MORE! The new had come!

What NEW is God trying to give you? What OLD do you need to completely forget about so you can receive the new? You won't be able to "wear" both and call it new. Having even a little bit of the old cancels out the new. Let it be gone! Let God have all the old so He can give you the new!

"Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are." - I Corinthians 5:7

I'm pretty sure those things won't be the last things I "lose," now that I know God is doing a new thing. Kinda scary, but definitely more exciting than scary because I've been assured that no matter what I "lose", there's NEW coming after the loss!

Umph! I just love Him!