RECALLING THE GREATEST MOMENT - The writer seeks to bolster faith for the exiles by recalling their own history, especially their greatest moment of salvation-the Exodus (vs. 14-17). Then, brushing the past aside, the writer anticipates a new adventure with God, a new deliverance from captivity. The "new thing" refers to Israel’s anticipated release and the reference to "it is happening already-you can see it now," probably alludes to Babylon’s defeat.

A NEW EXODUS - A new exodus-the God who once made a way through the sea and provided food and water and sustenance for a nomadic community of sojourners-is about to do it again. I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home, God says. Just as God has performed great and gracious deeds in their past history, so God will once again open up doors through the impossible. God will lead these exiles back home again. The eremos that God leads these people through will be watered with refreshment. God will give them water as a sign of God’s special relationship to them: they are those who God formed that they might praise God. But hold it! God’s agenda is more than just turning their hearts toward home and telling Israel to hit the road. The writer reminds them that God wants their praise; God cares about their worship and devotion.

 

When has God seemed like a dusty memory to you? At those times, what helps you to get in touch with God? How might recalling the acts of God in y0our past give you courage t face the present and future?

What has God done in your past that you especially can look upon as evidence of God’s presence with you?

Miracles can occur without special effects. It takes more doing for a holy God to forgive an errant person than it does to part the waters of a sea. --Martin Marty

 

not remembering - Play with the idea of forgetting / forgetfulness / not remembering someone or who we are / name some senior moments

counterpunctual - Not all things are healthy to remember / some memories imprison and obstruct new beginnings / give examples

ancient text - suggest names whose remembrance are a gift-Abraham story, Deborah / perhaps draw from Feiler’s bestseller, Abraham;

shift to lesson - sometimes God wants past events to inspire greatness and new beginnings in the present / provide examples of God working in fresh ways in the local congregation that is built on past efforts

not only do we remember and forget - but God also forgets our past failings: "I will not remember your sins" (v. 25). God isn’t having a senior moment, but intentional lapse! / God’s selective amnesia is based on God’s character to choose and make us new people, blot out our sins. And at baptism, God does remember us and names and claims us. God calls us through the waters to newness of life.