“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 43:2).
“When you pass through the waters…”
For the Old Testament Jews, the waters represent chaos, darkness, demonic, evil.
“When you pass through the rivers…”
For the Old Testament Jews, rivers were bad. They were barriers that prevented them from entering the promised land. Remember when the Israelites stood on the banks of the Jordan River looking across into the promised land, everyone one of them had been born in the desert. None of them knew how to swim.
“When you pass through the fire…”
Well, you don’t even have to be an Old Testament Jew to know that passing through the fire is not a good thing.
So, shouldn’t God be saying, “If you pass through the waters, rivers, fires?” I, for one, like “if” a whole lot better. I don’t want to go through chaos, darkness, demonic evil. I don’t want to face barriers. I don’t want to walk through the fire.
But, thank God that’s not what he said. As long as we live on this side of eternity, all of us will go through trials, tribulations, and difficulties. This is not some pollyanna, let’s hope for the best faith. This is a God who promises to be present in our trials, tribulations, and difficulties.
So, for anyone living on this side of eternity, this is great news! Thank God for his presence.
Have you thanked God today?
Praxis: Faith in Action 