Thus says the Lord,
    who makes a way in the sea,
    a path in the mighty waters,
¹⁷ who brings out chariot and horse,
    army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
    they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
¹⁸ Do not remember the former things,
    or consider the things of old.
¹⁹ I am about to do a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.
²⁰ The wild animals will honor me,
    the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
    rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
²¹     the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.

-Isaiah 43:16-21

The language of Isaiah 43 all indicates God’s ongoing action of salvation and renewal.  We are a part of a long story of being made new.  Even if we seem to be in the wilderness now, God is always ready with the next thing; ready to bring life into places we thought dry.  Celebrate what God is doing right now. [hear sermon audio]

This week, take some time to go deeper.  Use these scriptures and questions to reflect on where God is leading you.

Texts to read:

• Genesis 21:8-20
• Mark 8: 14-21

Questions to ponder:

• When has God been active in your life in a way you didn’t immediately recognize?
• What practices help you discern how God is moving when you need direction?
• What of the past do you need to forget in order to embrace a new way forward?

Do and share:

• Do a 20 min journal exercise.  On one page, spend 10 minutes listing the questions you are wrestling with right now.  On the next page, spend 10 minutes listing the way’s you’ve seen God at work in the last few months.  Compare the two lists to see if they overlap anywhere.
• How do you want Deer Park to be different because of this church?  Share your answer on our Facebook or tweet @dpumc with #Wayfinding