Isaiah 43

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are Mine.  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. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One---, your Savior;---you are precious and honored in my sight." Isaiah 43:1b-4

One can find wonderful promises in God's Word where one least expects it. Isaiah 43 is one example of this.  In this passage God is making some wonderful promises to the people of Israel. We can apply these same promises to our lives as His people today!  This chapter of Isaiah tells us that the Lord formed us, created us, and redeemed us; so as His children we need not fear! We need to ask the Lord's help to never fear but to always trust Him.  He chose us to serve Him as His children!

Isaiah 43 tells us that the Lord calls us and knows us each by name!  We can replace all of our fears with the Lord's joy and peace, because He gives us the right to a personal relationship with Him!  He says to you and to all His children, "I have summoned you by name; you are Mine." (Isaiah 43:1b) What is even more wonderful is that He gives us His name!  We are part of His family!  As His children we belong to the Lord!

The Lord also promises that He will always be with us.  When we "pass through the rivers" of life's difficulties they will not sweep over us.  When we "walk through the fire" we "will not be burned." (Isaiah 43:2)  We will always have difficulties in this life.  That is inevitable.  But the Lord will be with us protecting us and guiding us all the way!  As His children we are "precious and honored" in His sight, and He loves us! (Isaiah 43:4)  We need not be afraid of anything, because He is always with us.  In fact, His command to us in Isaiah 43:5 is "Do not be afraid, for I am with you."

When you or I are feeling overwhelmed with life's struggles we can cry to the Lord, and He will see us through those troubles!  The waters of life and the fires of life can not overwhelm us as His children!  The waters of life and the fires of life are under His control, so we need not fear.  He will be with us and give us His strength, as we pass through them.  The Lord will not give us His extra strength ahead of time, but He will give us His extra sustaining strength at just the right time when we are going through our deepest trials.

He called us by name and created us for a purpose.  God's purpose for us is that we live for His glory! We are His servants, whom He has chosen to serve Him! We have been chosen to know the Lord, believe on Him, and understand that He is God!  Most of the world does not understand this; but as His children He is our Savior, our God, and our hope forever! No one can change what He has determined!  No one can deliver us out of His hand!  He is our Redeemer, Lord, Creator, and King!

He has done great things for us in the past, and He will do great things for us in the future.  He does new things for us each day!  The longer the writer of this devotional walks with the Lord the more she sees how he is always faithful.  He is always faithful to us even when we can't understand what is going on in our lives.  He makes a way in the deserts of life.  He does this, because He formed you and I Himself that we might bring glory to His name!