Verse of the Day 6/13

Isaiah 43:1-2 But now thus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
² 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.    English Standard Version (ESV)

Today's verses are probably a couple of verses that I've quoted most often in these devotionals through the years.  The passage came up in a devotional that I read this morning and was also in the normal course of my personal reading plan in the Old Testament.  I also had a real life illustration that I could apply that took place a couple of days ago.  When things like that occur, it just feels like I am supposed to quote the verses.

The other day at a sales meeting for work, we had a group event at the  National Olympic Whitewater Training Center outside of Charlotte.  There were six of us and a guide in the raft.  We went through the course that contained level 2, 3, and 4 rapids, several times.  On the last time through and in the last portion of rapids I got thrown from the raft (not by the members in the raft!).  I quickly went under water and was being carried down stream.  I was amazed that I wasn't "overwhelmed" with panic, I wasn't even nervous.  Before the rafting we had gone through some training on what to do in case you were thrown from the raft or the raft itself capsized.  We were told to let the PFD (personal floatation device) do its work and carry you to the surface.  Once there I put my legs forward, knees and feet up , arms out to the side and floated with the current while looking for a spotter on the side who saw my predicament and quickly threw a lifeline to me.  Soon  I was out of the water, out of danger and back in the raft.

What was interesting with this scenario is that this coarse is a man made aquatic center.   These rapids were man made.  So many of the tribulations and troubled waters in our lives are man made, brought about by putting ourselves in the wrong position or wrong situations.  When we find ourselves there we should turn to God, do the things that we've been taught and instructed in His Word, to trust in what we have been taught and look for the solutions the "lifelines" that He gives us. 

Read the passage from The Message below, it comes with the heading "When You're Between a Rock and a Hard Place".  If you find yourself in the waters today, do what He has instructed you to do, follow them and He will be there to lift you out.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Isaiah 43:1-4The Message (MSG)

When You're Between a Rock and a Hard Place

43 ^1-4 But now, God's Message,
    the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
    the One who got you started, Israel:
"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.
    I've called your name. You're mine.
When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you.
    When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you're between a rock and a hard place,
    it won't be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
    The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
    all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That's how much you mean to me!
    That's how much I love you!
I'd sell off the whole world to get you back,
    trade the creation just for you.