This promise of God
was penned by the prophet Isaiah to the captives who sat by the waters of
Babylon and wept while their tormentors called for them to sing glad songs of
Zion. And so these promises of security are spoken to those who know the threat
of waters that rise and flames that burn brightly. They have lost hope of going
home and their only comfort is in the thought of revenge upon the children born
to the Babylonians. (Psalm 137) But the promise of the One who
formed them is that they will not be abandoned to captivity for the God who
heard their cries in the past has heard them in the present. They will not be
overwhelmed or consumed by the things that threaten them because they are
precious, honored, loved, desirable objects of the Holy One’s affection. What we experience in this life is often beyond our ability to tread water
or shield ourselves from searing heat but then the word of God calls us to not be
afraid despite all that threatens. I think that means we do not believe the
water of difficulty will have the last word for us even if we drown or that the
fire of suffering will consume us. We are already eternal creatures known by
name and treasured possessions of the God who exists in the
past-present-future. So we endure in the midst of captivity and overcome all
that would cause us to doubt our treasured status.
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