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Just A Thought: December

December 4, 2016 0 comments

Posted in: Just a Thought

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” - Isaiah 43:2–5

God is present. Wow - what a statement! Just stop - take a deep breath and absorb that statement. Actually that’s the gospel - the Christmas miracle.
These verses from Isaiah refer to water and fire, which are images of hardship. Waters is a general term, while rivers is a specific term. Fire is general, while flame is specific. The language distinguishes between our collective trials and my individual hardship. Sometimes we all suffer together; sometimes we feel very alone in our pain. But the take-away from these verses is that you are never alone. God is with you in your specific trials - not just throughout a year or a month or a day but in an hour, in a minute, in a second! At the precise moment of hardship, God is present.

“AT THE PRECISE MOMENT OF HARDSHIP, GOD IS PRESENT.”

Not only is He near to us, but He also specifically measures our trials. He says, “When you walk through fire” (a picture of definite hardship) “you shall not be burned.” In other words, it might get really hot, and you might feel a certain amount of pain and discomfort, but God has His hand on the thermostat. He’s watching you in the fire; in fact, He’s right there with you in it. It’s the same picture in the water.
You can trust Him. God is present and knows exactly what you’re facing, both the depth and the heat. As a result of God’s presence, you are strengthened - and He promises that what you face will not overwhelm you. After all, He is “the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” And He is always with you. Thank God that He sent us Jesus!

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