Passing Through the Deep Water

 

Image Shared with Permission of  Adriane McIntyre

^Scripture

^{Isaiah 43:1-3}

43 But now thus says the Lord,
    he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, 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.
³ For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
    Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.

Devotion

Two great events give shape and meaning to much of the Hebrew Bible.  The first is God bringing the children of Israel out of bondage and guiding to their new home during the Exodus from Egypt.  The second occurs during the Babylonian Exile, when God stays with those and captivity and eventually leads them home again.  Today's passage from Isaiah brings those two moments together.

Isaiah 43 was written during the Babylonian Exile.   The future looked bleak, and the people were full of despair. God knew the people's pain and speaks through Isaiah to give them a word of hope.  Just as God had helped their ancestors pass through the deep waters of the Red Sea as they fled Pharaoh's wrath, so would God protect them during this time of danger.  Just as the Holy One of Israel stopped the Jordan River's flow so Joshua could lead the people into the Promised Land, so would God keep them from being overwhelmed by Babylon.  Not even the fires of their current captivity could defeat them, because God had called each of them by name.  Their savior was not about to forsake them now.

There wasn't much new about what Isaiah said.  God already had a long history of promising to always be with the people and to save them from the afflictions they endured.  One wonders, though, how many of the Israelites taken captive by Babylon still trusted in God's promises.  These people had endured the trauma of seeing their home destroyed, the Temple torn down, and their friends and loved ones (not to mention their political and religious leaders) slaughtered.  The Babylonians had torn apart their families, forced them to march across the wilderness, and made them slaves in a vast and strange land.   Decades later, the Children of Israel were still reeling from everything they had lost.  Just imagine the what it must have been like to live with the constant weight of that pain and uncertainty.  It must have been hard to hang onto trust in God.

It is in the moments when we feel sad, isolated, and full of doubt that we need someone to remind us that God is there.  That is what Chapters 40-55 of Isaiah do.  Over and over again, the prophet reminds the people that God is still there to protect and guide them.  He says it in many ways and with many images so that the survivors scattered throughout the Babylonian Empire can come to know that they are not alone...that God is with them.  This knowledge gives the people comfort in their grief.  It gives them the endurance to keep on going.  It gives them hope for the future.  What God has Isaiah proclaim provides the people of mental, emotional and spiritual care.  We may even think of Isaiah as ancient therapist of sorts.

When things seem hopeless, it is helpful to look for the Isaiah figures in our own lives.  Who or what helps remind us that we are not alone?  Scripture, of course, can help...but that's not the only resource we have at our disposal.  Some people turn to family members, friends, or even social media for support.  Others find it in art...or literature...or pop culture icons...or even news reporters.  In the days following Sept. 11, 2001, watching Tom Brokaw on the nighty news always made me feel safe.  Many turn to pastors.  The list of who God helps bring us hope is long and varied.  Whether those people realize it or not, the comfort they bring us comes from the LORD.

And one important group we can turn to in times of distress is our mental health professionals.  If you find yourself struggling with the mental and emotional weight of our current crisis and you live in the North Carolina, the following resources may be of help:

•  The Hope4NC Helpline can connect you to the mental health and resilience supports to help you cope and build resilience during times of crisis.  You can talk to a real person by calling its 24/7 Hotline at: 1-855-587-346.
• If you or a family member is a health care professional, emergency medical specialist, first responder, staff member who works in a health care setting, Hope4NC has opened a special Hope4Healers Hotline.  Your number is 1-919-226-2002.
• If you need to talk to someone when you feel anxious, worried, or stressed, you can also contact the Sandhills Center 24/7 by calling 1-800-256-2452.  Sandhills has developed a special page for COVID-19 resources.  They can also help you search for mental health and substance use providers in your community.

No matter what you are going through or what you kind of help you may be seeking, I hope you know that you are not alone.  God has called you by name and is here to help you pass through these deep waters.  What's more, God has filled the world with all kinds of people who will keep reminding of of the fact as many times as you need to hear it.  

The Good News is that even when the waters seem too deep to cross--even when the fire may feel to hot to walk though--our Savior is here to help us overcome adversity.  With God at our sides, we can have faith that we will pass through this time of trial.  Who knows what glories God has in store for us when we safely pass through to the other side?

Prayer

Holy One, sometimes the waters that surround me are so deep that I fear I may drown.  When life feels overwhelming, please send someone who can remind me of your promise to never leave me on my own.  Give me the help and encouragement I need to keep going, secure in the knowledge that no matter how perilous the road may be, you are leading me safely to my home.  Amen.