When thou...I will

Isaiah 43.1-3:  "...Fear not:  for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou are mine.  When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee...For I am the LORD thy God..."

The children of Israel were very well acquainted with the analogy the LORD had given them here.  On two different occasions their forefathers had encountered a river that kept them from the place God wanted them to be.  Both times, the LORD cared for them and carried them safely across.  The first was the Red Sea when Pharaoh and his armies had the Israelites trapped and God parted the Red Sea and they went across on dry ground.  The second time was when Joshua and the Israelites were heading into the Promised Land and the Jordan River stood before them.  Again, God parted the river and they walked across.  In Isaiah 43, the LORD now promises Israel that He will be with them when they encounter raging rivers in their life!  The LORD tells us here that when we pass through waters, He will be with us!  As was the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt and into Canaan, so is our journey through life.  There will be times when we will face unsurmountable situations.  Trials, obstacles, difficulties that seem to be impossible.  Fear, discouragement and doubt will flood our souls and we will be tempted to give up and give out!  It is during those times, the LORD will be with us!  He never promises to remove the rivers or even to part them, but He will be with us to carry us safely through those times.

When our Savior came walking toward the disciples upon the Sea of Galilee, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water himself.  However, when he looked around at the waves and the storm, Peter began to sink.  But, the Lord was not going to let one of his children drown - He pulled Peter out of the water, and brought him safely to the ship!  The Lord will not let you drown!  He will be with you and when He is with you and rely on Him - He will bring you safely through. 

The boat can't sink when Jesus is on board!

Pastor Bret M. Pallotta