Passing Through the Waters

 

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 (Isaiah 43:2, ESV).

With the enemy thundering at their heels, the Children of Israel rushed forward hoping for an escape from Pharaoh's army. The Egyptians had set them free, only to change their minds and pursue them on their flight from bondage. God had delivered them—or so they thought. As they were pursued, they came to a roadblock. The Red Sea lay before them and the enemy behind. They were trapped. Fear, doubt, anger and uncertainty likely held each of them captive. Why would God deliver them only to bring them to certain death at the banks of the sea?

"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided (Exodus 14:21, ESV)."

Deliverance came for them through the gracious hand of God and their enemies perished in the waters as they closed on those Egyptians. The waters did not overwhelm them.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to kneel down to the golden image King Nebuchadnezzar had made. Refusal to worship this false god would result in a serious punishment—they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. What a terrifying verdict, and yet when we read further we read these words in Scripture:

"Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." He answered and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods (Daniel 3:24-25, ESV).""

Deliverance came for these men through the gracious hand of God for their faithfulness to Him. The fire did not consume them.

What waters are you currently facing? Is there something you're facing that seems impossible? Do you feel trapped by your circumstances and can't seem to find a way out? Is it finances? An addiction? A troubled relationship? An affair? Or maybe you're facing foreclosure. What waters have you feeling fearful and discouraged?

What fires are you facing? The loss of a loved one? An unfaithful spouse who abandoned you? A pregnancy that is seriously in jeopardy? A family scandal or job insecurity? Do you feel the heat and wonder how you'll ever survive it? 

Deliverance doesn't always look like we think it should, but the God who parted that sea, and the same God who walked through the fire with those Hebrew men is still God today. When waters or fires threaten to consume and overwhelm us, He is our only solid answer and the only true Source of hope. 

May we be encouraged today in trusting that God knows our situation and He also knows our need. While He won't always remove hardships we experience, He will always meet us in the middle of them. He does always give us the strength and courage we need to face our trials and in these trials we face the promised refining—being made more like Jesus each day.

What are You Made Of?

     So, you're a Christian, and you're not afraid to say you are, but are you afraid to live like one? Like, really live like one. Not just attending your place of worship, reading the Bible occasionally and offering up prayers when you need something- I'm talking about much more than that. It's easy to proclaim something, but much harder to live something.

     In my recent study on the book of Daniel, I was amazed at the courage a few simple Jews displayed in light of the powerful, pagan King of Babylon. Take Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These men were faced with a very tough decision- bow and worship the golden image made by the hands of men, or refuse to worship any god beside their Yahweh. The cost of refusing to obey the King's command meant they would be thrown into a fiery furnace, ensuring their certain death. Then there was Daniel. He could obey the King's decree that they should only bow down to him, or face being thrown into the lion's den for praying to God. These were hungry lions- vicious and strong. 

     What was it like for them in that moment, refusing to kneel before that image? And for Daniel- boldly praying in view of critical eyes? What kind of faith drew these men to willingly face a fiery furnace, or a den of lions? These aren't just stories; they are real-life encounters carefully recorded in biblical history. Place yourself in their shoes. Do you have the courage and the faith to willingly face certain death for God? Do you have the faith to believe that He can deliver you from these circumstances that are seemingly impossible to survive? 

     I love how these men believed God would deliver them. It may be easy to believe it when they were safely away from the fire and lions. But in the moment they were led to that fiery furnace and those hungry lions, they could have chosen, right then, to renounce their faith and save themselves. But they didn't. I think of myself in that moment, and I pray to have the same faith, obedience, and courage that these men displayed.

     In light of what they faced, I'm ashamed at the lesser trials I've shied away from out of fear. I've faced difficulties far easier than a fiery furnace or a hungry pack of lions- and I've complained. I've said, "It's not fair!" I've walked away, rather than boldly walked forward. I've argued my case for avoiding hard situations, wishing to be happy and comfortable instead. I've chosen to remain stagnant in this place of comfort and security, refusing to step out in blind faith. And I don't want to stay here- even though it feels nice, safe, and secure. Because "easy" won't allow me to experience the growth God desires for me. 

     Friend- are you afraid? Do you wish for the courage of a Daniel? Are you tired and frustrated with living in your comfortable space, free from any real cost? Maybe God will lead you through fire- I've been there a time or two, and it's a painful place to be. I bet you've been there, too. But my guess is that we will be faced with more. What will you do when the fire returns? Will you run, or will you stay? Will you trust Him to see you through, or will you be angry and bitter that He allowed it? Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were all delivered from certain death because of their great faith. We may not be delivered the way we hope to be, but we know He will deliver us. "Lord, give us courage to have faith with real substance- not a faith that fears!"

     Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O

     Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If 

     this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the 

     burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

     But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your

     gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." (Daniel

     3:16-18 ESV).

The Beauty of Scars

     I have an aunt whose face tells a story. Her sweet face, once very similar to my father's, is now full of scars. Years ago, she was in a very serious car accident and suffered multiple injuries to her face, resulting in scarring and a changed appearance. What you can't see, are the emotional scars- scars on her heart after losing her husband in that accident to a drunk driver on Valentine's Day. Yet one of the most beautiful features she possesses, is her positive attitude and bright smile. My aunt is a strong woman in many ways for what she has experienced in her life, and how she persevered with the strength of God.
     The older I get in life, the more drawn I am to scarred people. We easily spot the ones with physical scars, but emotional scars are revealed with more information. Whether it's the death of a loved one, sickness, parenting a wayward child, past addictions, caring for an elderly parent, infidelity, or other trials, these are people who are carrying around wisdom earned through their unseen scars. Just because we can't see the presence of them on their bodies, makes them no less real. 
     I have a friend, who in the darker days of our marital journey through the affair, gave me a gift. The gift was a beautiful stained-glass heart. On careful examination, you can see that the heart has a seam through the middle with iron stitch marks over the seam. She knew my heart had been broken, but she also knew that in time, it would heal. In the place of that break, a scar would develop as the break would seal together again. I remember holding that heart, wishing to speed the process of those "stitches", yet God has shown that His timing is purposeful, and ultimately good. Today, I have that beautiful red, glass heart hanging on the wall in my kitchen, where I can be reminded that yes- I was broken, but today, I'm full of some stitches, and receiving more!
     Society tends to shy away from scars. We feel uncomfortable looking at the physical effects of those who have endured extreme pain, yet survived. Burn victims show a vivid picture of how susceptible our bodies are to injury. Yet the person is still there- just the same, but with scars. Don't be afraid to be a friend to scarred people. The only difference is that they journeyed through some painful circumstances, yet here they are today! Scars are beautiful, as they are the mark of a survivor. They also are people who have learned to find strength in something or Someone greater than themselves. 
     I have many scars that you can't see, and I bet you have some too! The loss of two pregnancies left some pretty painful ones in my spirit. No parent has raised their children without gaining a few either- we all make mistakes and have our struggles. And infidelity. It left a pretty painful scar you would never know about if I chose to hide it. How many around us are hurting? We may never know if we don't take time to really know them. If they are scarred, they likely have some wisdom to offer. And remember that scars aren't ugly, they are proof that we lived through something difficult. May all of us scarred people have the courage to share our experiences, and the valuable lessons we learned through them. And my prayer is that you would each know my Heavenly Father, who has carried me through each painful experience and in the process, is making me more like Him. He is full of scars too, but His are for me and for you- and those scars make Him so beautiful, for they bought our freedom!

See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." Luke 24:39 ESV
But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 ESV
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 ESV

Dear Heavenly Father, give us eyes that are compassionate towards those who have scars. And give us courage to share ours with others, and the wisdom we gained through acquiring them. May I use my scars to point others to You- the One Who bears the scars of the cross. The marks on Your body bought my freedom, and I thank You for paying such a great cost. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!