Now this is what the LORD says-the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel-“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.”     Isaiah 43:1-2 HCSB

In this Scripture passage Israel is about to go through some hard times. They would endure 70 years in captivity due to their idolatry. They had angered the Lord. But God also told them through Jeremiah in verse 29 He had good plans for them. He told them in Jeremiah 29:10 that after 70 years of captivity in Babylon He would restore them to Jerusalem.

When I logged into my website this morning, I saw a blog I had written the day before Hurricane Ida devastated our area. In summation, it said that even though we didn’t know how bad the storm would be, we knew that God had us and would take care of us.

God took good cares of the Israelites that loved him and trusted in Him during their captivity in Babylon, Daniel was a prime example of this.

When I read that blog, I couldn’t help but be thankful of how God took such good care of us. It was a very stressful time because we had my mother living with us. Mom suffered from Alzheimer’s. I was worried about her getting too hot as we faced scorching temperatures after the storm. There were several times I went out seeking gas for the generator and got to the pumps just as they ran out or the station closed.

It was frustrating to say the least, we had no power for several weeks and we had no internet which meant no phone and no television. But God took good care of us through it all. There were times the devil tried to tell me that God wouldn’t come through this time, but He always did. He protected us through the storm, and He took good care of us afterwards.

There have been many times since then that God has taken good care of us. There have been times I thought would be impossible for us to endure, but He has walked with us through the fiery trials and the flood waters of life.

One of my favorite verses is Matthew 6:33. It tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be provided for you. The verses before are speaking of our needs. So, it’s saying if we put God first and focus on Him, He will provide all we need.

In our Scripture passage God isn’t having Isaiah tell the Israelites that it will be all rainbows and lollipops. He tells them they will walk through the flood and the fire. He promises, however, that it will not hurt them because He will be with them. We’re never promised an easy life as a Christian, but we are promised to have our Lord, Himself with us all the way.

Don’t walk away from the God who loves and protects you. Walk with Him always. Psalm 16:8-9 says, “I keep the LORD in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my spirit rejoices; my body also rests securely.”

If you want to stand strong and not be shaken, walk with Him. He will guide you and protect you every step of the way. He’s got you!

Have a great day!