Have you not known? Have you not heard? Caitlin Clark became the all-time leading scorer in Big 10 history and the No. 2 all-time scoring leader in division 1 women’s basketball history last Thursday.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Last Friday, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, meaning that spring is right around the corner.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Two weekends ago our very own Kelsey Allen received platinum and third overall for her dance solo, and Hannah Booth’s hip hop Whoville team won first overall at finals.
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
Each of these things have happened fairly recently, even if a week ago for some of ’em. And some things – unless you stay caught up with every news agency, every weather app, every social media post, and what every kid in our congregation is up to these days – were likely new news to you.
But in our Old Testament reading from Sunday, when Isaiah speaks to the Israelites, beginning with the “Have you not known? Have you not heard?” in reference to all the things that God had already done, none of what Isaiah is saying would’ve been new news to the people. Isaiah is simply reminding the Israelites of God’s promises from the beginning of time, and Isaiah is reminiding them of God’s continued promise to protect and provide for them as a people.
And yet, for the Israelites, all of that would’ve seemed like new news to them. Because finding themselves in exile in a foriegn land, they felt as though God had abandoned them. So for God to provide for them? This wasn’t only new news…but on the verge of unbelievable news.
For us today, when we read promises of God from Scripture, our first inclination may be to believe them and claim them firmly as our own. But , when we find ourselves challenged, when things aren’t panning out as we expected, or when the economy, or a person, or even the church fails us, it may be easier than we think for God’s promises to sound like unbelievable news. Because with everything going on in our lives, in our world, and in our church, could God possible do anything anymore to bring about something new?
That’s the question the Israelites struggled with. And, if we’re honest with ourselves, I think that’s the question that we sometimes struggle with as we look at our lives, the world, and even the church. But the promise that comes through the prophet Isaiah is that even when we can’t believe God’s promises on our own, God will continue to act. And God will continue to remind us of God’s ever-present faithfulness.
So have you not known? Have you not heard? God has not given up on you, nor this world, nor the church. So take heart, because God is about to do a new thing.