“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, and the flame will not burn you.”

– Isaiah 43:2

In this Scripture, the Lord is speaking to the prophet Isaiah, and Isaiah is documenting His words. Many of the passages in the Old Testament are full of prophecies and foreshadowing. In this verse, that is the case. 

In the New Testament, one of Jesus’s many miracles was walking on water. His disciple, Peter, claimed to have the faith in God that he, too, could walk on the water, but when Peter took his eyes off of Him, he began to sink. However, Jesus was right there to save Him. Isaiah 43:2 foreshadows this event. 

Even when the waters or troubles start to overwhelm us, Jesus is always right there to save us. He offers his peace and strength to us in our hardest times. 

This verse also foreshadows an event in the Old Testament. In the book of Daniel, three men were thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to worship other gods, but they did not die. When the furnace was reopened, the Son of God was standing in the furnace with them and His glory protected them from any harm. 

This verse and story are comforting to us because they promise that not even fire can separate us from the Lord’s protection. We are never alone in even the most troublesome situations. 

This week’s praise is the rest that we can find in knowing that God will walk with us through the difficult times. His strength has more power than any circumstance we may face. 

This Scripture explains that when we pass through the waters and rivers and walk through the fires, the Lord will be with us. It is not a matter of if we face struggles, it is a matter of when. It is comforting to know that God knows that life can be hard, but He will always carry us through our hardships. 

Oftentimes, when presented with an uncomfortable or difficult situation, we want to walk away from it. This verse calls us to walk through the waters and the fire. In the hard times, God wants to show His care, peace, and strength to help build perseverance and trust. He does not want us to walk away from the hard. He simply wants to walk through it with us. 

Dear Jesus, thank You for being the good Father You are to us. Thank You for never giving up on us and promising to be there even when life is not easy. Thank You for setting the perfect examples of walking through the fire and water through the story of Peter and the fiery furnace. Please help us to have the courage to walk through our struggles so we can find comfort in Your strength and peace.