When You Pass 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
Remembrance. The necessity to look back and recall the wonders of thanksgiving is never diminished or altered by our circumstances.
How often do we go through life contemplating the wondrous deeds of our Father? Do we not try desperately to forget the things that wound us when they are the very tools needed to instill within us a deep faith within the heart?
Motivation calls us forward. Ambition calls us to press on. Progress focuses our direction on the future, not the past. Yet, within the human soul, there exists the necessity for remembrance. And it is in this place where we experience a solidifying of our true identity. And more importantly, who our Lord is.
The Israelites were called to remember their Lord. They had been enslaved for 430 years (Ex. 12:40-41) and were brought into freedom through the Father’s power at work in the call and leadership of Moses. Upon their departure, they were brought through the Red Sea, which has separated by the hand of God miraculously. The waters parted; a way was made so that they would reach safety as the Egyptian army pursued them relentlessly. They were brought into safety amid the waters. Their identity was established. The work of the Lord was expressed to those He called His beloved people.
Fast forward several hundred years later, and we see the people of God immersed in a distinct set of circumstances. They had indulged themselves with idols. They engaged in practices that were in complete defiance of the living God who had brought them out of Egypt. They had forgotten the One to whom they had once loved and the One who loved them.
As a result, in predictive prophecy, God told Isaiah that the people would be taken into captivity by the Babylonians. Their specific protection would be lifted for a season, that they may call on the Lord.
Yet, it was in that place that the Lord reminded them of their identity.
The Lord stated:
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 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 43:1-2)
How desperately do we need to be reminded of our identity in the midst of trials? We are His.
And more importantly, there is a need to stand on the truth of who the Lord is.
The Lord called the remnant to remembrance.
“When you pass through waters.” They were reminded of how, quite literally indeed, they had been brought through the waters in their journey out of Egypt. And indeed, the same Lord re-established their identity as His beloved children and reminded them that once more, He would bring them out of these waters metaphorically.
How mighty is the depth and care of our God? Amid a time of wandering, we are given the privilege of calling into memory the incomprehensible expression of grace. Through the Cross of Jesus Christ, we are told who we are. We can call to remembrance what the Lord has done and, most importantly, who He truly is.
How has God cared for you throughout your life? What does the Bible say about who you are? What does the Cross say?
Maybe you have forgotten your identity or find it difficult to express gratitude for what God has done in your life. Perhaps you are facing the waters right now. Do you look back a remember who He is? Do you gaze upon His face with gratitude? Or do you give way to your circumstances?
Oh child of the living God, will you remind yourself of the truth of what God has done in your life?
He who formed you is the only One who can say what your identity is. And He has declared you worthy of the Cross. Your calling is irrevocable. Your identity is forever established. It’s okay to look back for the purpose of remembering.
May you call to remembrance your true identity, established by the living God. And most importantly, may the truth of who He harvest within you a heart of gratitude, which brings you to your knees in prayer, worship, and adoration.
Blessings,
Heavenly Father,
I pray that we would set our gaze on you. That forever your praise would be on our lips. That you would purify us through your love and remind us of who we are. Recall to our minds the truth of who you are. Aid us in our pursuit of truth, for the depth of your love and grace is incompressible and put us in humble wonder. May the Lord of our lips, and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, Rock, my Redeemer (Ps. 19:14). In Jesus mighty name,
Amen.
Thank You