God Didn’t Get the Memo

“But now, this is what the LORD says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze'” (Isaiah 43:1-2).

Pretty sure God didn’t get the memo. You see, when I signed up for this Christian life thing I am pretty sure I didn’t check the “Trials and Tribulations” package. I am pretty sure I signed up for the “Easy Street” package. I mean, who in their right mind would choose the “Trials and Tribulations” package? Right?

I love verse one of Isaiah 43. It tells that God created and formed us. Because God is our Creator we have nothing to fear for God has redeemed us. God summons us by name for we are his.

Wow! That’s good stuff. That’s exactly what I’m talking about!

It’s verse two. That’s what makes me think God didn’t get my memo about “Easy Street.”

Verse two says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

TIME OUT!!!!! SAY WHAT?!?!?!

The “Easy Street” package avoids the waters, avoids the rivers, and avoids the fires. But what God promises is not that God will take us out of the waters, out of the rivers, and out of the fire but that he will be with us in the waters, rivers, and fire.

God doesn’t promise to take us out of troubles and tribulations, but that he will be present with us through troubles and tribulations. And the reason why God doesn’t take us out of troubles and tribulations is because there are lessons that can only learned in troubles and tribulations that we cannot learn anywhere else. God takes us through our troubles and tribulations because God’s goal isn’t to make our lives comfortable, but to make us more like his Son.

God didn’t get my memo. But that’s okay. I am finally starting to understand his.