A Word from Pastor Stephen – May 13, 2020

“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.” (Isaiah 43:2 ESV)

In many of the Apostle Paul’s letters he writes about endurance, perseverance, fortitude and suffering. We can read these words, but deep down we hope we are never called upon to exercise these spiritual muscles. We can face all kinds of problems in our life and how we handle them can determine if our faith grows roots or it begins to whither.

Someone said that the Christian life is not a 100-yard dash; it’s a marathon. I think that is true. We can begin strong, but do we have the endurance and mettle to face the hardships and obstacles over the entire race? The Apostle Paul also likens our journey of faith to a race and urges us to finish the race and receive the crown of righteousness. (2 Tim 4:7)

No matter what life has in store for us, and believe me, life will give each of us heartache, loss, tragedy and pain to walk through. It may feel like God is nowhere to be found. But over and over again, the Bible tells us that God will see us through and never leave us. Here in Isaiah we are reminded that we will pass through waters and rivers and will be overwhelmed. God said, “I will be with you.” We will sometimes have to walk through fire, but we will not be burned or consumed. Be strengthened knowing that God will never fail you and then pass that strength on to those who need it. Amen.