My mother once saved my life. When I was about four, I fell in a lake and didn’t know how to swim. By the time Mom got to the edge of the water I was quite a ways from the shore and going under yet again. She dove in and quickly brought me safely to dry ground.
God saved His people Israel. He chose them out of all nations to be His. God rescued them from slavery in Egypt. He brought them safely through the waters of the Red Sea. Then after centuries of rebellion, the prophet Isaiah warned them of God’s pending discipline. They would soon face exile in Babylon, but God would redeem them again. Like a loving father, God would lavish His children with grace and mercy. He would snatch them out of exile and bring them safely home.
God has a unique relationship with us, His people. First, He made us. He intimately formed you and me. Then He chose us to belong to Him. He called us by name. He redeemed us out of slavery to sin and claimed us as His own.
He promises to save those who belong to Him. Are you passing through a fire right now? Whether you’re experiencing God’s discipline, Christian persecution, or a refining trial, God is with you. You may feel the heat and smell the smoke but you will not be consumed. God may not choose to rescue you out of every trouble, but He will always rescue you through them. He will not leave your side.
1 But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 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.
3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.
Isaiah 43:1-4, NIV
God’s greatest act of salvation on our behalf was in sending His Son to save us from our sins and give us eternal life. Have you received God’s great gift of eternal salvation? Have you experienced God’s saving hand in past circumstances of your life?
Remember, the God who saved your soul and acted on your behalf in the past is the same God today. Will you trust Him with your current circumstances?
I feel like this theme has been woven repeatedly through my week. The Lord must be giving me focus on this perspective because of what we are experiencing of what is coming. I love the image of the passage you shared. Praise God that He is with us in the midst of our challenges.