God's Promises: Day 9: We do not have to fear

"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  

This verse hits home for me and is a huge source of hope and encouragement.  

Sometimes the challenges of life in this broken and sinful world can make it seem like God is no where to be found.  Sometimes it makes us wonder if God really does love us.  

Did you know that the phrase "Fear not" is stated over 300 times in the Bible?  It is a repeated phrase of encouragement as if God is trying to embed it in our hearts as we read it over and over again.  "Feat not, for I am with you..."  Isaiah 41:10.  He knows that this life isn't always going to feel perfect.  He knows that we will go through trials.  He knows that people might abandon us.  We are children of God, and it hurts Him to see His children suffer.  He does not want us to be in a state of fear during these times, because He knows that He's got this.  He wants to carry us through.  The question is will we allow God in our hearts to do the mending and the molding in our lives that only He can do?  Will we believe in His promises when it seems pointless to try and hold on to those promises?    

If you were experiencing something devastating, could you have the strength to go on if you knew what the outcome was?  If you knew that everything was going to be alright in the end?  In Isaiah 43:2, God is promising just that.  He will carry us through.  He is promising us that with Him on our side, it will be alright in the end.  He will not let our trials defeat us.  If you're having a hard time believing that God has not abandoned you, remember what it says in Isaiah 43:1 "...Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."  There is no better place to be than in the arms of God.  

1.  We are His.  

2.  He has redeemed us.  

3.  And how beautiful is it that He knows us by name!  

"No Longer Slaves" by Jonathan and Melissa Helser sings it beautifully:

"You split the sea
So I could walk right through it
My fears were drowned in perfect love
You rescued me
And I will stand and sing
I am a child of God."

God will never abandon us.  And if we have accepted His redemption, then there is nothing to fear. Because when we pass through the waters, God will be with us.  When we pass through the rivers, we will not be swept away.  When we walk through the fire, we will not be burned.