Preserved!

Preserved!

‭Isaiah 43:2 KJV‬

[2] When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

In claiming the promise above, it is important to understand the context. Judah and Israel had sinned and had been handed over to their enemies to be oppressed. The experience must have been rough and tough for people who thought that they were God's people and would get a pass. With God, sin always gets punished. It does not matter how long it goes on for; as long as sin is not confessed and repented of, God will punish the sin. God will also not punish without warning, and His Word is replete with examples of God's dealings with sin. These examples should be enough to give us a good idea of God's mind when it comes to sin. Before I claim the benefits and blessings, I must make sure that my life aligns with the conditions for the benefits. 

God had punished Israel, and His people had gone into exile. Many had died, and many were destitute and desperate. This is what makes the verse above interesting. We see the impact of mercy in the verse above. How do you place the words of today's verse in the context of God dealing with sin in the lives of His people? How did we go from punishment to preservation? That is the mercy of God at work. If I deserved it, it will not be called mercy. If I could earn it, then why would I need to appreciate God for it? If I got it by labour or physical exertion, then I can make a boast in my ability, capacity and capability. We see no contribution by Israel to what God promises here, and this means that God does not need me to be God. He will do what He wants to do, so that all the glory can be His alone. 

The waters and the rivers will come; the fire wil burn. In the case of Israel, the waters and the fire had come and had destroyed many things. Yet, God is saying that going forward, these will no longer have the same effect they had in the past. God is the One who can break protocol, and even suspend the natural order of things, just to make a point about His power. His presence is critical to all of these times and seasons. Do not dare face the waters or the fire without Him. Even when He punishes sin, He is the God of mercy who does not seek the death or destruction of the sinner, but would do whatever is necessary for the restoration of the sinner. No matter what comes mu way, I rest on the mercy of God that is able to preserve. With Him, I can overcome all of life's challenges, including the power of sin. Without Him, life will sweep me away. You want to be preserved? Make sure you go with God. God's time of favour is here.