Deliverance (part 2)

The vast landscape stretched before me, unending. Mountain peaks jutted harshly against a darkening sky and rivers churned angrily. Taking a deep breath, I paused to tighten the laces of my shoes. “I know You have created me and called me by name—I am Yours.†The wind snatched my words away, but my heart felt a bit lighter as I carefully made my way down the rocky slope.

At the roaring riverside, my stomach clenched in fear. “Must I pass through?†I pleaded to the One who loves me like no other. In the depths of my soul, His whisper echoed: “I will be with you.†The water was ice cold, and I could not catch my breath—but miraculously, the currents never went over my head.

My mouth twisted into a grim smile when I approached a forest ablaze. Smoke billowed from the tops of trees, and the heat was so intense I stopped my journey forward out of sheer instinct. “I can’t do this—I will be burned!†I cried aloud. “I am making a way.†His words swelled louder than the flames raging before me. “I will help you, I will sustain you, I will carry you, I will rescue you.†Every promise was balm to my aching heart. Emboldened, I picked up a twig charred by the fire. With the tip covered in ash, I wrote on my hand: “The Lord’sâ€.

He brought me through the flames unharmed—I danced with joy and sang: “In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength!†When my feet grew tired and my dancing slowed, He showed me the way I should continue on my journey. I was so thirsty, my tongue felt like sand. When I felt as though I could not bear it any longer, He had compassion and there before me was a sparkling stream of clear water. I drank until I was satisfied. • Savannah Coleman

• Throughout the Bible, God showed His great love to His people, rescuing them again and again. His promise, “I will be with you†(Isaiah 43:2), foreshadowed the coming of Jesus—who is Immanuel, “God with us†(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22-23). Jesus is the Promised One, the ultimate Rescuer who saved us from sin and death by dying on the cross and raising from the dead. If you’ve put your trust in Jesus, you can know that you are His forever (John 10:27-29). What hard things are you facing today? How might God be inviting you to rely on Him?

• If you want to dig deeper into Jesus’s promises: Isaiah 44:1-5; 45:24; 46:4-10; 48:17; 49:10-13.

“…when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned…For I am the Lord your God…†Isaiah 43:2b-3a (NIV)

Read Verses:

Isa.51.11-Isa.51.16|Isa.54.10-Isa.54.17|John.19.30|Isa.50.10