Pastor Suzette Caldwell
Scripture: Isaiah 43:18–19 (MSG)
Before reading this reflection, be sure to go back and read Part 1 and Part 2 of this series. Each message builds on the last, and together they reveal a powerful truth about how God moves us from the old into the new.
In Isaiah 43, we are reminded that God is the Creator of the new. When God speaks about doing something new, it does not mean that God Himself changes. Instead, “new” represents fresh access, new opportunities, renewed direction, and new mercies.
Scripture reminds us in Lamentations 3:22–23 that God’s mercies are new every morning. That truth alone is a blessing. We need His mercy daily, and God faithfully provides it. Every new day is another opportunity to experience His grace again.
Sometimes when we testify about what God has done, we only talk about what happened 20 years ago. But God is still moving today. We should be able to testify about what God is doing in our lives right now.
A Way in the Wilderness
The portion of Isaiah we focus on in this message says:
“I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
This promise speaks directly to the seasons of life that feel confusing or difficult.
The wilderness is not just a physical place. It represents seasons that feel:
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Lonely
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Hard
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Uncertain
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Dangerous
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Dry
These are moments when life does not go as planned and the future feels unclear. Yet the good news is that the wilderness is often where God does His greatest work.
The Israelites experienced this firsthand. There were moments when they believed their best days were behind them. But God was still leading them, even when they could not see the full path ahead.
A Personal Wilderness
Pastor Caldwell shared a personal testimony from 2004. One day she was sitting in her car during a break from work and asked God a question:
“Is this it? Church, eat, sleep… is this all life is going to offer?”
She later said she wished she had never asked that question. Just a few months later she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
That season became a wilderness experience in her life. But in the middle of it she made a declaration:
God will make a way in the wilderness.
God does not always promise to remove the wilderness. What He promises is His presence and His provision within it.
The Wilderness in Scripture
In Jewish tradition, the wilderness represents a place of:
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Testing
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Transformation
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Shifting plans
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Disappearing familiarity
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Unanswered prayers
The Hebrew word for wilderness is “midbar.” Interestingly, it also carries the meaning of “the place where God speaks.”
We often desire comfort, but the truth is we rarely grow in comfort. When there is no resistance in our lives, we can become stagnant.
Why God Led Them the Long Way
In Exodus, we learn that God led the Israelites through the wilderness even though the Promised Land was only about a 14-day journey away.
Why would God lead them the long way?
Because the shorter route would have required them to fight enemies they were not mentally prepared to face.
Their mindset had not yet caught up with God’s promise.
Sometimes God delays the destination because He is preparing us for the battle that comes with the blessing.
Scripture tells us that God trains our hands for war. The new things God has for us will often require courage, faith, and spiritual strength.
Faith Is Required for the New
Walking into the new requires faith in action.
Faith does not grow in theory. It grows through experience.
During her cancer journey, Pastor Caldwell had a choice:
She could either accept the doctor’s report as the final word, or she could believe that God had the power to heal her.
That wilderness season strengthened her faith and helped shape the calling she walks in today.
The Israelites Missed the Moment
The Israelites had two opportunities to enter the Promised Land.
When Moses sent twelve spies to survey the land, ten returned with fear. They saw giants and immediately believed they were too small to defeat them.
Only Joshua and Caleb came back with faith.
The others kept saying, “But…”
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The land is good, but the giants are big.
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God promised it, but we cannot defeat them.
When we keep saying “but,” we can talk ourselves out of what God has already promised.
Instead, faith says:
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It looks impossible, but God is fighting for me.
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The obstacles are big, but nothing is impossible with God.
Because the majority spoke fear, the people followed their voice instead of trusting God.
God had already shown them the promise, but they did not believe He would protect them and give them victory.
So they turned back.
Only Joshua and Caleb from that generation entered the Promised Land.
Pastor Caldwell reminded the congregation of a sobering truth:
It is possible to spend your whole life playing church and still miss what God wants to do in your life.
Why Forty Years?
The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years, and Deuteronomy 8 explains why. God was testing their hearts, humbling them, and teaching them to depend on Him.
Even Jesus was led into the wilderness before beginning His ministry. But Jesus knew His assignment and trusted God completely.
The wilderness was not punishment — it was preparation.
From Old to New
Everyone who walks with God will face wilderness seasons.
But those seasons are not the end of the story.
Isaiah promises that God will make a way. The word “way” here means a road that did not exist before.
God creates paths where none existed.
But to move from the old into the new, we often must walk through the wilderness.
Psalm 23 reminds us:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”
Why?
Because God’s goodness and mercy are following us every step of the way.
This recap only captures a portion of the powerful message shared in worship. To fully receive the depth, encouragement, and biblical insight, we encourage you to listen to the sermon for yourself.
