God wanted them to know that even though they were suffering, they were not forsaken. God wanted the people of Israel to understand that the hardship they were experiencing would not be the end of them. God wanted to give them a fresh start, a new beginning in their life, a relaunch, so to speak. By telling them, “forget the former things,” God was saying, “it is time to move on.”
Author: Edgar Bazan
Rev. Edgar Bazan is Associate Pastor at Tyler Street Church in the DFW metroplex. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry from Asbury Theological Seminary.
Edgar Bazan ~ A Hard Reset
While we can’t ignore the past – it happened – we can reframe it into a story of redemption by looking at it, by talking about it, by thinking about it through the lens of Jesus’ love and grace. We change our past by allowing it to be redeemed.
Edgar Bazan ~ Emmanuel: God Wants to Be With Us
Christmas is around the corner, and for the Christian church this is the beginning of the Advent season. Advent is a season when we…
Edgar Bazan ~ Prayer: A Source of New Life
Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to South Korea and visit some of largest churches in the world: Kwanglim Methodist Church with 85,000…
Edgar Bazan ~ Redeeming Justice
What is justice? The theme of justice is pervasive in the Bible but also is widely misunderstood by its readers. Commonly, people depict justice…
Edgar Bazan ~ Shalom and the Kingdom of God
Note from the Editor: In the United States, Labor Day is being observed today. As a reflection on rest and on justice for workers,…
Edgar Bazan ~ The Rest of God
I believe that God wants us to enjoy our everyday lives. John 10:10 says that Jesus came to us so we may have and enjoy…
Edgar Bazan ~ May All Your Plans Be Successful
There is a prayer that I recently discerned to pray: God, may all your plans for me be successful. The rationale behind this prayer…
Edgar Bazan ~ Remember Me
In the crucifixion, Jesus is weak, collapsing, tired, miserable. In the eyes of his enemies, he did not die a hero, but a criminal. In the eyes of his friends, he did not die in victory but in shame and defeat.
Edgar Bazan ~ Transformative Mission: When the Church Malfunctions
If missio Dei is the initiative of God to redeem, bring Shalom, and heal his creation, then the church needs to reclaim its mission as the mission of God in which the church has been invited to join alongside God to accomplish God’s work from everywhere to everywhere.