Father, thank You for more wonderful words of comfort and promise.
“Do not fear
for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”
In the Garden of Eden You walked with and spoke with Adam. There was a close and open relationship between the two of You. But when Adam sinned, the next time he was in Your presence, he said “I heard You in the garden and I was afraid.” Fear had never been a part of the relationship before. But now that there was sin, there was fear. I have lived all my life in a fallen world where fear has a place.
But here, You say to me “Do not fear”. And the reason: “because I have redeemed you”. And since Your completed work on the cross, I am in right standing with You. I am in close relationship with You, like Adam was in the garden before sin. And those precious words: “I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” bring such intimacy and tender closeness. You know me. You call my name. I am Yours. I belong to You.
And along with that relationship comes a promise of care and protection. What confident assurance it gives me! What a sense of being loved and protected I have with those words! I am assured that when I face difficult times, when I am in deep waters, when I am in danger of being swept off my feet, You are there with me. Your presence accompanies me. And Your promise guarantees me that the waters will not sweep over me and take me away.
Recently I have seen very dramatic pictures of the power of water: destructive, deceptively strong and damaging. Statistics presented highlight how little moving water it actually takes to unbalance a person, a car, a house; and sweep it away. But Your promise is sure. The waters will not sweep over me.
Thank You for Your true promise. Thank You for the confidence You give me in facing difficulties and hardship; that You are with me. That I will pass through them. That I will arrive on the other side. With You. Amen
Daily Bible Prayer 