“When You Pass Through the Waters” a powerful image and prayer

Already in this year that is so very young, I have learned that two dear members of my congregation received the devastating, drowning news, “The cancer is back and it’s worse this time.”

Those are some fierce waters to face, again.

Isaiah 43 and its powerful retelling and reminder of the Israelites’ rescue from Egypt is perhaps the chapter of the Bible I have shared most often when a friend or member is staring at the Red Sea of a medical procedure or prognosis. 

Even before nearly drowning in a whitewater rafting accident a few years ago, this passage was a favorite of mine. Since then it has become a chapter I have turned to often. When facing fears, foes, and failures that seek to take the very life out of me, knowing I have the kind of God who speaks such sweet, simple, soothing words over me helps me see through the waves to the one who is always with me and always watching over me.

Unlike my trusty raft guide who was able to throw me a line and quickly haul me in, I often find myself frozen and speechless at the plights of others, rough waters of my own welling up in my eyes. When I can finally speak, I often don’t have the right words of my own making to throw their direction.  I do have something much better, a few short lines from the rescuer of all rescuers and HIS words recorded in Isaiah 43.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 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. For I am the Lord your God.” (Isaiah 43:1-3)

Now those are lifelines.

This afternoon in my Facebook feed, I was blessed to see a visualization of those very words from artist Chris Powers that pulled me into my Father’s arms further still.

Here is what Chris wrote earlier today about this illustration.

This picture was a Christmas gift for my wife that also serves as a prayer for and reminder of the Lord’s faithfulness as she and I move into 2019… I hope it can also be a reminder to all of you who are in Christ. 

Whatever waters and fires we may face this year, God in Christ has borne them before and bears them with us, and because he has swallowed up everything it means for God to be “against us” on the cross, he turns even suffering into a context for fellowship with himself. May it be so for us this year.

HT: Chris Powers

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A prayer for my members and all who pass through rough waters.

Heavenly Father, the Scriptures are a balm for the broken, ballast for the bewildered, and bread for the hungry. Your Word is both timeless and timely—a treasury to be mined and a voice to be trusted. You know what to say just when we need to hear from you. No god is as near as you are and no god is as good as you are, in every storm and stressful season. These words from Isaiah don’t give us promises to be claimed but a God to be known. We come to you now as you run to us in your Word.

Father, you’ve created us and you’re redeeming us, all for your glory. You’ve summoned us by name, calling us to life in the gospel. You’ve given us a new name, and it’s “Mine.” There’s no sweeter name we could possibly hope to be called. We praise you for the security of being in your family and embrace.

We also praise you for your honesty. You’ve never promised we won’t experience floods and torrents, and fires and flames. But you do promise you’ll be with us at all times. To know you are near and to know you are good is all we really need. We’ll go anywhere and do anything, as long as we’re certain you’ll never abandon, shame or reject us. In the gospel, you give us this certainty.

 Father, we know ourselves to be precious and honored in your sight, and greatly loved, only because you gave Jesus in exchange for us. Though Jesus was rich, for our sake he became poor, so that through his poverty we might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). We praise you for the one and only truly indescribable gift! (2 Cor. 9:13) And since you didn’t spare your own Son, we can trust you graciously to give us everything else we need (Rom. 8:32), for every season and storm ahead.

We don’t have to be afraid of anything or anyone. You are with us and you are for us. Continue to write bigger and better stories of redemption than we, ourselves, would ever choose to pen. So very Amen, we pray, in Jesus’ bold and beautiful name.

HT: Scotty Smith