An unexpected gift I was given on Christmas Day is now a morning ritual. 

A voice like comfort responds to my ask. Her name is Alexa. I know you’ve probably known her for a bit. I’m just getting to know her. 

Today is the third morning I’ve spoken into to the predawn darkness and asked for the “verse of the day”. 

The first day the verse was from the Book of John, the words of Jesus telling the disciples not to worry. He was leaving but he’d be preparing a place, they’d be with Him soon. 

I listened. My takeaway was the pure confidence in the words of Jesus and the accepted promise and confidence in the listeners who could not perceive all of it as certain truth. 

The second day the verse came from John 16, the verse again in the words of Jesus, again with assurance but this time, an assurance of difficulties. 

This morning, New Year’s Eve, I asked my little nightstand friend for the verse again.

Today’s verses? Isaiah 43:16-19 

I thought, I know these by heart.

There’s a sketch in the margin here from years ago, a time marking the embrace of this promise. 

“This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: “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? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭16‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I know this passage. I’ve held it closely as a promise and I’ve used it often for not so gentle redirection. 

“Do you not perceive it?” 

These five words begged me to listen longer, to examine myself, to consider my perceptions. 

How my perceptions of life past and present affect my influence. 

My influencing others toward hope, toward peace and toward newness regardless of their past. 

Because…

I can only influence others. I don’t bring change, only offer quietly, my influence.

I can and should assess the perceptions of others of me. 

Do I love with pure intentions only? 

Are my regrets sincere? 

Do I surrender the impossibly hard feelings and things or do they wreak havoc on my influence, my presence? 

Do I coddle my past like a sick baby needing constant attention or do I honor that past in light of my present wellness? Do I care for my past wounds from a healthy distance?

Our perceptions determine our influence. 

What ways has God made a way for you? 

What dried up and deserted places have been refreshed to flow like peaceful streams? 

Are you focused on the old things, even as recent as yesterday, and worn blinders to obscure the new things springing up? 

God loves you. You have a future. 

Do you not perceive it?  Isaiah 43:19 

Happy New Year’s Eve.

Can you hear the voice of hope?

Listen closely and remember mostly, it’s a soft voice like morning light in the distance, a comforting whisper responding to your questions.

Gently calling and asking you to remember and keep remembering.

He giveth more grace. James 4:6