Assurance on The Journey

“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
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                This side of heaven there are many things for which we take out “Insurance Policies” such as our homes, vehicles, and even life insurance all in the name of protecting and preserving what is valuable property in case of the occurrence of negative/uncertain events. However, on our journey through this life, what’s needed more than “Insurance” is “Assurance” meaning a definitive statement or set of principles which produce a confident certainty of something happening or that something is undeniably true. As a general practice, if an individual has too many accidents or incidents on his/her car insurance record, the insurance company has a right to drop that individual’s coverage, leaving them ultimately “uninsured.” Conversely, a “Promise of Assurance,” especially as it relates to God’s Word, never ceases to exist, it never changes in form or fashion, rather it continually remains true in its original form, regardless of one’s ever-changing circumstances. God’s assurances for us are always dependable, regardless of our daily, hourly, or moment by moment situation in the midst of the uncertainty of our world.

                In Isaiah 43 we find the prophet speaking God’s words of Assurance to the people of Israel during times of difficult trial, suffering, doubt, and uncertainty that they would not be overtaken by the challenging circumstances before them. “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 flames shall not consume you.” These same assurances can be applied to our lives at this very moment as we continue to face “uncharted waters” within these uncertain times in the history of our lifetimes. There will be times when life feels like a “raging river” or an “all-consuming fire” that is set to overtake us, but the Lord says, “the rivers shall not overwhelm you” and “the flames shall not consume you.” What profound assurances these are on our journey, for on the most difficult of days filled with unforseen challenges, we will need to reach for them. Remember, God assures us, “I will be with you, you will not be overwhelmed, nor will you be consumed, reach out for me, hold onto my promises.”

Connecting Faith & Life

                Father, thank You today for Your Word which is full of unchanging promises of assurance for us along life’s journey. We can trust that when life seems like a raging river or an all-consuming fire, You are with us, promising that ultimately we will neither be completely overwhelmed nor consumed by our circumstances. Help us to cling to these assurances by faith, regardless of the uncertainty and chaos of this ever-changing world around us. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.