No Further

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…
Isaiah 43:1b-3a NKJV

My friend had her house leveled. The house was built on top of piers and those piers have sunk as far as they can, down to the solid rock foundation. They will sink no further. It turns out that my friend has hoped and prayed that her house was built on piers, so it was incredibly good news for her!!

And her good news is a direct result of THE Good News. When she told me this story, it hit me as such a picture of the goodness and mercy of the Lord. For the last few years, my friend has been building her life on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ. Matthew 7:24-25 reads, Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.

The storms of life come. That’s just the way it is. In our text for today, God doesn’t say IF you pass through the waters, or IF you walk through the fire. The Scripture states WHEN you do. And WHEN we do, He WILL be with us… Christ our Rock, our sure foundation, so we’ll sink no further.

Prayer:

Father,
            Your Word is as solid as it gets. Help us to hear and comprehend and then to stand on it. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Just Like Peter +

I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

Philippians 4:11b-13 The Message

I have been in all these situations many different times. And while I can say I have been happy or content in each given circumstance at one time or another, I cannot say that I have been happy or content every time. Why is that?

I lose focus. In a constant barrage, I take my eyes off the prize and get caught up in what's going on around me... Then, just like Peter, I'm sunk.

The good news is Christ didn't leave Peter sinking in the water. He immediately reached out and grabbed Peter and saved him. He didn't leave Peter in all his brash and braggart ways. Christ corrected Peter, after Peter had tried to correct Christ. He didn't leave Peter after Peter denied Him three different times in one night. In Truth, knowing that Peter was going to deny Him, He still washed his feet and told Peter that He had prayed for him. And after His resurrection, He restored Peter with the line of questioning, "Do you love me more than these?"

The great news is - He'll do the same for us. Just like Peter, we will make mistakes. Gratefully, it's just like Jesus to have already made provision to take care of all that. So we can make it through anything in the One who makes us who we are.

Prayer:

Father,

          Just like Peter, we lose focus. Help us to keep our eyes above the waves of life that threaten to pull us under. Help us to keep our eyes on You. Make us into who You created us to be. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen