Last week I posted about Cyclone Alfred https://jesusontheroad.com/worry/not-to-worry/
Today’s blog is by Pastor Matt Wilksch and shared with permission.
Do Not Fear, I Am With You!
Do not fear, 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, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
… you are precious in my sight and honoured and I love you …Isaiah 43:1-4 (RSV)
Do not fear, for I am with you
“It looks like we may have dodged a bullet! Cyclone Alfred threatened to bring widespread destruction to much of Southeast Queensland. Thankfully, the damage so far has been limited. There are trees uprooted, powerlines down, beaches washed away and property damage in various places, but the large-scale havoc which a cyclone could wreak on a city with a direct hit has not come to pass. Now we all hold our breath and pray that the rain eases and the floods don’t materialise.
It has been a great inconvenience to have to rearrange our lives because of Cyclone Alfred. Schools have been closed, events have been cancelled, and we are even unable to worship together on Sunday. Nevertheless, we are safe and well so far, for which we are thankful.
Sometimes we are tempted to think if we believe in God, then God should stop us from having to go through the stress of a cyclone, or any other kind of traumatic event. We can think God should keep us safe and well without these dramas intruding on our lives. But this thinking is a misreading of Scripture.
Nowhere does God promise us a life free from trial and tribulation. Even though we pray “Lead us not into temptation” which can also be “Lead us not into the time of trial,” God doesn’t promise us a trouble-free life in return for our allegiance. Rather, the promise is for God’s presence with us in the midst of the trouble.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” is a different promise than “You won’t ever encounter waters / rivers / fires / flames” in your lives. God says,
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all.
Psalm 34:19
As we lament the inconvenience of Cyclone Alfred, and of every other interruption to our normal lives, we remember that God is with us as we go through these challenging experiences. He is present to help us and to save us. We know this because he sent Jesus to help us and save us.
I’ll miss not being at service on Sunday. But I know God will be with us all wherever we are. We are precious to God, honoured and God loves us. Therefore, we do not need to fear – not cyclones, not floods, not anything.
God’s grace and peace be with you all.”
What about you?
What do you think about having to go through life’s stresses, inconveniences, and wild storms?
Shouldn’t God just protect those He loves?
Why do some people seem to get all the good fortune, and others seem to get all the trouble?