God is With You in the Waters and the Fires
Scripture — Isaiah 43:2-3 (NRSV)
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.
For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Focus
Isaiah 43 reminds us that life isn’t easy. It can be filled with flooding rivers and burning fires. Yet in the midst of the difficulties and sufferings of this life, we claim the promise God once gave to Israel: “I will be with you.”
Devotion
The prophecies of Isaiah testify to the treacherous “waters” and scorching “fire” of Israel’s experience. Because Israel persistently rejected the Lord, the Lord disciplined the nation through the domination of foreign rulers.
Yet, even in those hard times, God did not abandon the holy people. God promised to be with them, protecting them from ultimate devastation. Their lives would be tough, to be sure. They would face rivers of difficulty and fires of oppression. But the Lord would continue to be present with them, sharing in their suffering and pain.
In different times and different ways, we all face hard times in our lives. For example, these days I seem to have many dear friends who are struggling with physical problems. They are enduring both painful diseases and painful treatments. I’m sure there are times when they wonder if God still cares for them.
Similarly, we might feel abandoned by God when life is hard. Perhaps our children make choices we don’t support. Or we receive a scary diagnosis from our doctor. Or we worry that we might lose our job. Or . . . you can fill in the blank with the difficulties of your own life. I expect you have them. (And if you don’t now, you will in time.)
God does not promise to give us easy lives. The Lord doesn’t say “no waters” and “no fires.” Until the new creation comes, we will struggle and suffer. This is inevitable in a world that is still stained by sin. Yet the Lord does promise to be with us in our hard times: protecting us, comforting us, strengthening us, giving us wisdom. Sometimes this comes as a direct gift from God’s Spirit. Often it comes through the people of God who surround us with their love, care, and prayer. The people in our lives can help us to know that, indeed, God is with us even in the midst of the waters and the fires.
Reflect
When have you gone through “rivers of difficulty”?
Did you sense God’s presence at the time?
In retrospect, do you see God’s hand upon your life in those hard times?
How do you experience God’s presence when you struggle and suffer?
Act
Talk with your small group or a wise friend about your experiences of God’s presence in the midst of difficult times.
Pray
Gracious God, how I thank you for the fact of your presence in my life, especially in times of difficulty. There have been so many times when I have hung onto the promise of your presence, trusting you for patience, strength, and courage. How grateful I am for your help… and even more, for your presence.
Lord, you know that sometimes it’s hard for me to sense your presence, especially when I am in pain or distress. You can seem a million miles away. So help me, I pray, to be aware of you. Open my heart to know you even in the midst of difficulties. May I be attentive to the still, small voice of your Spirit, even and especially when I need you most. Amen.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project’s online commentary. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Grace Transforms Suffering in Our Life in Christ (Romans 5:1–11).
Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...