Daily Devotion 12/14/18
Isaiah 43:1-3
“Do not fear, 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”
One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about Christianity is that when you’re a Christian, God shouldn’t let any harm come to you. People think that if he was truly loving he wouldn’t let us suffer. There will come a day when we do live like that. On that day, we’ll never experience pain or suffering ever again. However, that day is when we enter heaven. Only heaven is pain free. While we live here on earth, there will be pain and suffering. In fact, God says as much here in Isaiah. Notice he doesn’t promise to get us around the waters or fires; he doesn’t promise to move us around pain and suffering. Instead, he promises to be with us through it. He will give us the strength we need. He will provide the comfort that we need. He will give us the hope that we need. We have no idea what the future holds, but we do know who will be with us no matter what happens. With him by our side, we can get through anything.
Lord, thank you for never leaving nor forsaking me. Thank you also for not giving me false hope. You tell me that I will have trouble, but you promise to be with me. Let the promise of your presence calm my heart as I look into the future. Though I don’t know what is coming, I know you are with me through it all. Strengthen my faith in that promise once again. Amen.