Quote: “Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.” – Oswald Chambers
Scripture: Isaiah 52:12 – “You shall not go out with haste,…for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”
Some Thoughts: On December 31st, I read Oswald Chambers and kind of giggled when I read the verse above because it reminded of a time way back in March of 2020…Jeff and I did a “drive-by” visit to those who were sheltered in due to the pandemic. We did a “toilet paper drop off” and we used this verse (in jest). “God will be Your rear guard.” Now, it seems like so long ago. But the truth remains: He WAS our rear guard and He continues to be our rear guard!
Many people make jokes about the past year and and it seems that there are an overwhelming number of people who are glad to be wiping it off the slate! (No toilet paper pun intended there – smile)
Sadly, when we woke up to 2026, there was no miraculous cure; nothing on the outside had seemingly changed overnight. What do we do with that? Do we pretend it didn’t happen and just put on a happy face and say, “Don’t worry. God is in control. Everything is going to be fine!”?
I loved the points Chambers made; he could have easily been speaking from where we stand today! He states: “At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays.”
Looking at this verse, He is telling the Israelites that they will not go out with haste. This is a lesson for us today! Many of us have been impatient, some even a little reckless in our impatience. But, on a larger spiritual scale, this verse tells us that God doesn’t want us to be hasty. We are to trust that He will go before us, AND He will be behind us. It is good to look in the rearview mirror. We grow from reflecting on our mistakes, but most of all, we grow spiritually in realizing God has always been our faithful “rear guard.”
Chambers wisely advises: “As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness…Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future.”
“Constructive thoughtfulness for the future” – I like that phrase. For me, that means that God wants to use the past and the present to lead me into the future He has planned. He knows what each of us need to be equipped to fulfill His calling. I trust that because He is God and He is a good God, His plans are not to harm.
What about you? Can you name some times in the past year that God showed up and went before and behind you? Share in the comment section.
Prayer: Lord, in You we find our rest. In You we find our meaning. In You we find answers and healing. May we be slow to wander away from Your presence and hasty to seek You in prayer in everything.
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Thank you for this message. It’s a good one with which to start the new year.
Such a helpful reminder to start my day with. Thank you! I was feeling anxious about things happening during my day yesterday and God helped me through every situation!
God is so good, all the time. Great reminder 💜💜